All eyes are on the parliamentary session scheduled for this coming Thursday, which is designated for the election of the President of the Republic. However, all indications so far suggest that it may turn out to be either like the previous session or even worse. This is especially true after confirming the boycott of deputies from the Strong Lebanon bloc, under the pretext that the timing coincides with the anniversary of the October 13 events. If members of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc sympathize with them, the issue of securing a quorum becomes critical, making it likely that the session will not convene.
Political sources speculated in a contact with "Al-Anbaa" electronic that the odds of presidential vacancy are increasing due to the confusion within the March 8 alliance and their failure to reveal their candidate, despite only 20 days remaining of the current term. Additionally, Hezbollah finds itself in a dilemma with its allies, as it supports the nomination of the head of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, but does not want to jeopardize its alliance with the Strong Lebanon bloc and its leader, Deputy Gibran Bassil, due to its need for Christian cover.
While Deputy Bassil accused his ally Hezbollah of "preferring presidential vacancy," stating last night that "it is clear that Hezbollah is not in a hurry to elect a president for the republic," a responsible source within the Shiite duo responded that Bassil himself bears responsibility for any potential vacancy, as he intentionally tries to embarrass Hezbollah by forcing it to choose between vacancy or supporting him.
On the opposing side, the opposition has yet to unify around a single candidate. While the sovereign parties insist on nominating Deputy Michel Moawad, the change deputies maintain that he is part of the existing system and not neutral. They propose instead three candidates: Ziad Baroud, Nassif Hitti, and Salah Hniin, asserting that there is no possibility of reversing their position.
In parallel, Deputy Ahmad Kheir noted in a conversation with "Al-Anbaa" that the "status quo" remains the same as in the previous session, alongside a decrease in blank votes due to the absence of the Strong Lebanon bloc. He anticipates some change in the position of the change deputies if a new name is added to the first two, revealing that the final decision of the Moderation bloc he belongs to will be announced before the session if any new developments arise, while keeping the door for consultation open. However, he declared that voting would be for Lebanon as it was last time if things remain unchanged. If there is a shift in positions, the bloc is ready to take a stance that aligns with the convictions of its members.
For his part, Deputy Yassine Yassine mentioned in a conversation with "Al-Anbaa" that the change deputies have embarked on an initiative that may have experienced some delay but is ongoing. He announced that their initiative "is based on Lebaneseizing the presidential entitlement and selecting a candidate who does not belong to any specific party and is outside the existing alignments, in order to be a judge and ruler while possessing high qualifications to manage the country and lift it from its crises."
Yassine clarified that their objection to Deputy Moawad stems from him being the head of a parliamentary bloc with ministers in the government, reminding that the Lebanese people chose 13 deputies from all sects except the Shiite sect, who are cross-sectarian and cross-regional. They embarked on this based on truth because the people are no longer concerned with polished names and do not want pressure from the political backdrop, adding: "Therefore, the people chose us to be honest; we are employees of the Lebanese people, and we want to be candid and transparent. This is why we find that everyone is maneuvering while waiting for guidance that has not yet emerged."
In this context, whether Thursday’s session is held or not, it will not yield a new President of Lebanon, as the country remains stagnant and there are no signs indicating an approaching settlement.
