On the first day of the year 2023, the overall scene in Lebanon appeared shrouded in heavy stagnation and an even heavier anticipation due to the increasing complexities of the political crisis, which remains shrouded in much ambiguity and uncertainty regarding the general course of the crisis. There are also no expectations for any real and serious breakthrough in the foreseeable future to end the presidential vacancy crisis and to begin addressing the deteriorating catastrophic situation, as noted by "An-Nahar".
Although the new week is considered an extension of the holiday weeks of Christmas and New Year, extending past Christmas for the Armenian communities on January 6, the political circles are monitoring the outcomes of the ongoing clash within the government. This follows the refusal of the "Free Patriotic Movement" to hold a new Cabinet session, while Prime Minister Najib Mikati, backed by President Nabih Berri and other parties, appears to be keen on its convening. This is particularly relevant as the main item on the agenda will relate to a significant financial advance necessary for purchasing fuel for Electricité du Liban.
This time, there is a fear that the problem may greatly escalate into a "showdown" between Mikati and the "Free Patriotic Movement" due to political score-settling. The concerned parties are also awaiting the speech that was postponed last Friday from Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to next Tuesday evening, attributed to his influenza, and the positions he will take regarding the presidential election and government situation.
In a related context, Member of Parliament Ahmad Al-Khair from the "National Moderation" bloc pointed out that "there are no signs of resolution in the presidential issue, despite ongoing consultations among parliamentary blocs to reach a solution that helps agree on a candidate acceptable to everyone." In a statement to the electronic newspaper "An-Nabaa", he noted that everyone is making efforts in their own way, but thus far nothing new has crystallized to indicate that there is an initiative.
