Parliament 2022 Faces Its First Test: Tensions Over the Vice President

The 2022 Parliament is facing its first significant challenge. Today, the parliamentary blocs, both old and new, gather for the first time in the Star Square, which will witness the new balances in the legislative council. These balances will become evident during the elections for the Speaker of the House, the Vice President, and the Executive Committee. The directions taken in this session will reflect political messages, affirm existence, and announce positions that set the stage for the upcoming complex phase, rather than being merely a pivotal point. The major challenges awaiting the country come after this session, starting with the formation of a new government, the election of a new President, and the initiation of an economic recovery plan to rescue the nation from its crisis. Parliamentary sources indicated through "Al-Anbaa" electronic news that the parliamentary session will be very ordinary, and the re-elected deputies, along with the new ones, will demonstrate their significant responsibility and discipline, despite the substantial contradictions and mutual apprehension among the deputies. The sources believe that the election of Speaker Nabih Berri for a seventh term is guaranteed and will proceed smoothly. However, competition will be fierce for the Vice Presidential position, contested between the candidate from the Free Patriotic Movement, Elias Bou Saab, and MP Ghassan Skaf, who was endorsed by the Democratic Gathering during the bloc's meeting on Monday evening in Clemenceau, while considering the potential developments that may arise from the session.