From Thursday to Thursday... there is no president. The bleak picture is evident to the Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, who informed "Al-Jumhuriya" by saying: "I said and I repeat, the continuation of the vacancy in the presidency cannot endure for just a few weeks; no one should talk about months like what happened during the previous vacancy period (two and a half years after the term of President Michel Sleiman ended), as Lebanon's situation at this stage is not like it was then, it is dire."
President Berri pointed out that "consensus" is the obligatory pathway to electing a president, and without this consensus, the cycle of vacancy will continue, and the country will pay the price. As is known, President Berri previously pursued with enthusiasm his initiative for dialogue among parliamentary blocs, but after consulting opinions, he faced stagnation and exaggerated conditions, leading him to the conclusion that “I cannot negotiate with myself.” Consequently, he suspended his dialogue initiative after the “Lebanese Forces” and the “Free Patriotic Movement” rejected the idea of dialogue, each for their contradictory reasons and considerations.
He shifted the responsibility to everyone, particularly those who are theoretically concerned with the presidential entitlement. However, President Berri, as he reassures "Al-Jumhuriya," emphasizes that the suspension of his dialogue initiative does not mean he will remain idle before the stagnation of the presidential entitlement as it currently exists, in a cycle of complexity and obstruction with a significant cost to Lebanon. Instead, he has provided what can be described as a time frame with a maximum ceiling until the end of the year. If an agreement on a president can be reached during that time, it would be for the benefit and interest of Lebanon; if the situation remains vacant, he will definitely return to take the initiative again and place everyone before their responsibilities that require sincere partnership in fortifying Lebanon and extricating it from this tunnel.
In response to a question, President Berri does not downplay the magnitude of the current crisis and complications. Despite the grim picture, he does not express total pessimism as others have, but maintains a sense of cautious optimism, believing that despite all this deadlock, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel, which is fundamentally that everyone is ultimately obliged to follow the path toward relief.
