Current data show no positive developments amid the entrenched positions of political forces and parties, reinforcing the notion that the general assembly called by President Berri next Thursday will be similar to previous ones. Notably, he urged blocs and deputies, after withdrawing his dialogue initiative, to work on eliminating obstacles and reaching consensus to elect a new president instead of continuing the stalemate. A prominent political source told "Al-Diyar" yesterday that stagnation characterizes the current phase, given the current blockage in reaching consensus. However, he added that predicting the duration of the presidential vacuum is difficult as developments may bring new insights regarding the fate of the upcoming election at any time.
"Al-Diyar" learned that after President Berri withdrew his initiative regarding the presidency due to opposition from the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement, along with the discouraging stance of Patriarch Raï, some parties and intermediaries are seeking to revive the dialogue idea put forth by the Speaker after next Thursday's session. This would depend on forthcoming efforts to shape its form and mechanisms.
There is talk of adopting the idea of President Berri conducting consultative dialogues with parliamentary blocs. However, sources from Ain al-Tineh denied knowledge of such discussions and refrained from delving into the topic, stating that they have nothing beyond President Berri's invitation for the presidential election session next Thursday and his assurance to deputies that there will be invitations for similar consecutive sessions until a president is elected.
According to information available to "Al-Diyar," it is not unlikely, as per informed sources, that following a series of recent external calls to expedite the election of a new president and shorten the period of presidential vacancy, there may be active direct interventions, particularly from France, with political forces to remove obstacles to the election of the president and avoid prolonging the vacuum. This comes amid growing concerns over potential political tensions that could manifest on the ground or cause shocks that exacerbate the deteriorating situation.
