The headquarters of the Kataeb Party in the summer hosted a notable parliamentary meeting that included 27 deputies from various blocs, suggesting that something is brewing, although it does not rise to the level of announcing an expanded parliamentary bloc. However, the atmosphere of the participating deputies and their positions indicate that the meeting was merely consultative, especially since no progress was made regarding the presidential entitlement, and in fact, the presidency was not a central theme. This is confirmed by member of the National Moderation Bloc, Deputy Ahmad al-Khayr, who clarified via MTV that the topic of the presidency was not the focus of the summer meeting.
Al-Khayr pointed out that "the discussion centered around the session of reading President Michel Aoun's message and the topic of transferring the presidential powers to the caretaker government," emphasizing that it is necessary for these blocs to meet and coordinate, especially on issues that affect civil peace and coexistence among the Lebanese, as well as on essential and fundamental points. The diversity within this group reflects the Lebanese reality that everyone aspires to, rather than the direction that leads us towards ugly sectarianism. Regarding the bloc's position on the presidential entitlement and the possibility of supporting candidate Michel Mouawad, who participated in the summer meeting, al-Khayr stated: "From the very first moment, we refuse to enter into the game of burning names. Electing a president requires creating a common space among all and a kind of consensus and quasi-consensus. The Lebanese are bound to cooperate and agree with one another to bring in a president who can restore this unity among them, certainly within specific constants. We do not advocate for a president from Hezbollah, but we want a president for the republic as soon as possible within the fundamentals and essential points we adopt and consider crucial for this country to rise again."
Al-Khayr added: "Mouawad is a reformist and sovereign president, but he is missing one thing: he needs to be a consensus president. If this condition is met, we are certainly with him." Regarding the dialogue that President Nabih Berri intended to call for, al-Khayr remarked: "The Christian parties in the Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement failed Berri's dialogue," considering that dialogue is a space for meeting between the Lebanese regardless of who is calling for it. He stressed, "We need a space to meet, sit at the table, and talk together," continuing, "This approach that has been adopted over the past years, leading the country into vacuum, what does it serve Lebanon and the Lebanese? And why should I be a partner in it?"
He concluded by saying: "The Lebanese are waiting for us to elect a president, but the interaction of the parties reflects the previous image that Lebanon lived through during the two periods of vacuum, reinforcing the same equation, the same image, and the same approach, and 'we are falling into the same pit,' and this method does not serve Lebanon's interest. We will work with all parties to prevent the prolongation of the vacuum since the country does not have the luxury of time to enter into a long period of vacancy."
