As the sixty-day period for electing a new president begins today and lasts until the end of October, the presidential deadline becomes the sole item on the agenda for the next two months. Naturally, the priority during this period should be to elect a president, after which President Michel Aoun will leave the presidential palace on October 31, handing over the presidential trust to his successor. However, in the abnormal situation in Lebanon, and amid the dark political clouds and divisions overshadowing this process, the election of a new president hinges on a miracle. Consequently, the presidential path is inevitably heading towards a vacancy in the first presidency, for an indefinite period.
In light of the looming vacancy, it is understandable that — in a country that is lost or, more accurately, purposefully trapped in an endless cycle of negativity — there are anxious questions about the phase following October 31, particularly alongside a torrent of competing claims regarding how to manage the vacuum, and the validity of the caretaker government's authority to assume the powers of the president. Additionally, the uncertainties pouring in from various political directions raise doubts and fears about what Lebanon can expect starting November 1, as well as issues related to the developments in maritime border demarcation and the mutual threats between Hezbollah and Israel.
In this context, responsible political sources, through "Al-Jumhuriya," express concerns about some parties drifting towards committing political and constitutional mistakes, potentially attempting to plunge Lebanon into a political battle that could complicate state management during that period, and perhaps lead to serious financial and economic pitfalls. Most worryingly, this situation could open the door wide for turbulent winds threatening the structure of the system, with indications of this already apparent in the battles concerning powers and who will inherit President Michel Aoun after the end of his term.
