The first week of September is coming to an end without the emergence of a practical mechanism for dialogue in the parliamentary council, if it convenes, as intended by President Nabih Berri, or the French mediator, whose third visit to Beirut, according to information, may be a farewell. Meanwhile, Christian participation at the level of the two largest blocs is influenced by issues related to "ongoing bidding," as described by a member of a loyalist bloc, to gain public support. There is notable activity from Hezbollah and the Kataeb Party, which hosted a parliamentary meeting yesterday with representatives from the Strong Lebanon bloc (Aounist bloc), the Lebanese Forces, and some reformist deputies to discuss a work program and continue supporting the candidacy of former Minister Jihad Azour.
While the Aounist bloc is maintaining an ongoing dialogue with Hezbollah regarding the new term's program, the credit fund, and expanded administrative decentralization (removing finances from it), the Free Patriotic Movement has linked its participation in the dialogue sessions called for by President Berri to "guarantees" to end the dialogue with open sessions in the parliament for presidential elections that will not stop until a president is elected, based on which it will decide whether to participate or not.
Regardless of the status of the dialogue concerning calls, timing, and agenda, "Al-Markazia" reported that President Berri informed, before his recent speech at Bkerke through a friend, that he would call for open sessions starting from the last third of September following the dialogue and Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit and what information or steps he may carry in his bag.
Political sources noted through "Al-Liwaa" that there are signs of confusion regarding President Berri’s call for dialogue before the call for consecutive parliamentary sessions to elect a president, especially after the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb Party, and their independent and Sunni deputies allies rejected this call, comprising about a quarter of the council members, making any call for dialogue without them incomplete and potentially increasing political division and tension, thus not contributing to advancing the presidential election process.
The sources emphasized that there is a representation issue for more than one party in the dialogue if positions remain unchanged, particularly regarding who represents the Sunnis, especially with some deputies joining the opposition and standing with them.
The sources observed that the President of the Council, in his approach to the presidential entitlement process, is violating the constitution in two ways: first, linking the presidential election process to a dialogue among heads and representatives of blocs, and second, refraining from holding consecutive and open sessions to elect a president, which gives the opposition a strong argument to reject this call. They considered it more appropriate to move past the existing disagreement and division concerning the dialogue and proceed directly to electing a president if the goal is to elect one. However, if each party insists on its opposing positions, it means that no one wants to elect a president at present.
The sources indicated that Berri is trying, as much as possible, before determining the next step, to rally parliamentary blocs that have stood against the opposition and voted for its candidate to support his call for dialogue, aiming to diminish the objections from some opposition components regarding this invitation. He is betting on the participation of the Democratic Gathering bloc in this call while simultaneously seeking to include some deputies from the National Moderation bloc, primarily composed of northern MPs, despite some formal obstacles hindering that.
On another note, the sources revealed that ambiguity surrounds the return of the French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Lebanon so far, while the new French ambassador has not conveyed any news or dates for this return, relying on Lebanese officials and figures he met in recent hours, who stated that these visits are merely introductory for the occasion of the French ambassador officially assuming his duties in Lebanon.
