Amid fears of a return to scenes of long lines at fuel stations, with the approach of the Central Bank of Lebanon and the Ministry of Energy to gradually lift subsidies on fuel imports, things appear to be heading in a negative direction, as the exchange rate of the dollar in the black market approaches forty thousand lira. This is coupled with a blatant inability to avert the collapse that has affected all sectors, alongside an unjustified official shortfall in forming a new government.
Worse still, while the country suffers on multiple fronts, those involved in governmental affairs disgustingly exchange accusations of responsibility for the failure to form a government, at a time when all meetings held between President Michel Aoun and the designated Prime Minister Najib Mikati have resulted in no progress regarding the formation of the government, other than repetitive verbal statements that the Lebanese have grown weary of, after having lost patience with all practices of the ruling class. This is likely to be the outcome of the third scheduled meeting between the two presidents this week, as time has caught up with everyone, making the birth of a new government unlikely in the time remaining of President Aoun's term.
As the presidential file advances, other issues have taken a back seat, and the opposition forces are focusing on unifying their positions regarding this entitlement, hoping to successfully bring their candidate to the Baabda Palace. It has become clear from the weekly positions of Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi that Bkerke and the Christian spiritual and political leaderships are prioritizing, after hopes for a new government have dwindled, the necessity of holding the presidential entitlement on time, thus pushing towards the election of a new president between the first of September and the end of November, which is the constitutional deadline for electing the new president, despite alarming indicators about the fate of this entitlement.
According to visitors to Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi, the Maronite Patriarchate, as church sources indicate, will not spare any effort to ensure "the collaboration of all efforts to complete the presidential elections on time." This is emphasized by the church's pillars who refuse any form of vacuum, as this would be detrimental to the highest Christian position in the country.
Visitors report that "the Maronite Patriarchate demands the election of a president who restores the honor of state institutions, works to reactivate them, saves the country from collapse, and repairs both Arab and international relations, and that this president should not be beholden to any party, except in service to his country and people," stressing that "there is Arab and international support for Bkerke’s demands regarding the presidency and neutrality, which is Lebanon's salvation from these dire conditions."
Opposition circles emphasize that the new president will have crucial tasks, the foremost of which is to seek to lift Hezbollah's domination over Lebanese decision-making, thereby reducing Iranian interference in Lebanon, and thus working to adhere to the unique golden trinity, namely the finality of the entity, the Arab identity of Lebanon, and coexistence. In other words, the new president must work to disconnect Lebanon from the Iranian project that seeks to dominate it and to stop using Lebanon as a postal box between Tehran and the Western world through Hezbollah’s actions in various directions.
Therefore, there is increasing concern, according to these circles, that "Hezbollah" might lead the Lebanese into a military adventure with Israel, incited by Iran, warning of "the dangers of continuing Iranian officials to extol Hezbollah's capabilities, which could bring calamity upon Lebanon as it struggles for survival," as confirmed by Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, who stated that "Hezbollah is at the peak of greatness and power today and possesses the strongest ground force in the region capable of destroying the Israeli army." This certainly raises fears that the party is acting in accordance with Iranian objectives in the region at the expense of Lebanon and its people.
