The Lebanese Forces called on the Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, to withdraw his invitation to dialogue and return to the clear texts of our constitution by inviting the council to hold open sessions that will only end with the election of a new president of the republic. In a statement issued by the party's media office, it stated:
It is known to all that the Lebanese Forces have never refrained from participating in dialogue since 2006, with their last participation being in the economic dialogue held at Baabda Palace on September 2, 2019, called for by former President Michel Aoun. At that time, the party leader, Dr. Samir Geagea, participated despite the political conflicts with the president and his team, and expressed the Lebanese Forces' outlook on how to address the economic downturn, which, had it been heeded, could have spared Lebanon its current suffering and successive crises.
The statement added: Despite the firm belief of the Lebanese Forces that national dialogue tables require sincere national intentions and equality among the participants in rights and duties, which has never been available, they nevertheless continued to participate in dialogue sessions, regardless of who called for them, whether it was the president or the speaker of the parliament, as these sessions, despite their flaws, did not obstruct constitutional obligations or replace what is mandated by a binding constitutional text.
It further stated: However, if the invitation to dialogue—or any dialogue—serves as a clear obstruction to the constitutional obligation of electing a president for the republic or extends an undetermined political deadline to the reality of presidential vacancy, as is the case with the call for a dialogue session next Thursday, the Lebanese Forces categorically reject it without any ambiguity or interpretation.
Regardless of entering into the intentions of the caller or those who will respond to his invitation, the Lebanese Forces believe that replacing presidential election sessions by a parliament that is in a constant state of session, according to the provisions of Article 74 of the constitution, constitutes a dangerous constitutional precedent that the Forces warn against establishing. This is communicated to the Lebanese public opinion, which is the only one it cares about, as it bears the responsibility of representing it as the largest parliamentary bloc in the Lebanese parliament.
The statement concluded: The Lebanese Forces, in light of accusations stemming from ill intent that they are refusing the idea of dialogue and standing against it, respond with a clear accusation in the strongest terms that those who obstruct the application of the constitution and extend the duration of the presidential vacancy, and therefore the duration of the economic, financial, and living crises—of which the delay in electing a president only exacerbates—are the ones who must be held accountable before the people and history. While reiterating their non-rejection of the dialogue principle when held at the right time, they demand that Speaker Nabih Berri withdraw his invitation to dialogue and return to the clear texts of our constitution through calling the council to hold open sessions that will only end with the election of a new president who restores hope to the people in their country and the regularity of constitutional authorities.
