Many don't know that the Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri is the sole winner these days, having used his political acumen to prevent President Michel Aoun from achieving any of his goals. He is also leading this phase by pushing the main political factions to agree on the next president, away from alignments and bravado, to ensure that the upcoming term is not a carbon copy of President Michel Aoun's presidency.
Certainly, Berri's popularity and the support of his party have secured him a seventh term at the helm of the Parliament. Thus, the "uncle" understands that it is utterly impossible to elect a new president within the legal timeframe, and the internal forces are not inclined (at least for now) to intensify their communications with external partners to solidify a consensus on a "settlement" president who has everyone's approval.
Information suggests that paving the way for the designated president, Najib Mikati, and the pressure being exerted by the party on its allies Aoun and MP Gibran Bassil are orchestrated by Berri and his channels, to form a government that will manage the phase following Aoun's term. This means a lot to him politically and enhances his role as a popular leader, ready to elicit applause from the public in the upcoming phase.
It is true that the three presidents emerged from the meeting held at Baabda Palace yesterday with a unified stance regarding the maritime border demarcation with Israel, but what stood out was the broad smile on the Speaker's face, stating: "A good harvest." Meanwhile, some political factions questioned what Berri's joy signifies—does it genuinely reflect positive developments in the demarcation file, or does Berri fully realize that the demarcation will not be recorded as an achievement in Aoun's term until after he leaves Baabda?
