Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is hesitating to set a date for the 11th session to elect the new president, waiting for the outcome of behind-the-scenes communications. It is expected that the president of the "Free Patriotic Movement," Deputy Gebran Bassil, will announce a presidential initiative aimed at adopting an independent candidate for the presidential elections, in an effort to distance Army Commander General Joseph Aoun and "Maronite Movement" leader Sleiman Frangieh from the presidency.
Recent statements by Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah regarding the presidential issue have strengthened the chances of returning to dialogue, as emphasized by a Hezbollah delegation that visited Bkerke a few days ago. In this context, sources indicate that Hezbollah is willing to give up its implicit candidate, Frangieh, in favor of another candidate if he finds that he enjoys near-unanimous internal support, particularly from its ally, the "Aounist" faction. This comes as they are aware of substantial difficulties preventing Frangieh from reaching the Baabda Palace. Consequently, it is moving towards dialogue as a way out of the impasse, which it faces regarding the inability to secure the conditions for its candidate's success, whether Frangieh or someone else.
It has been reported that the Hezbollah delegation informed Patriarch Bechara Raï that the party is ready to take the necessary steps to expedite the election of a new president, as the country's situation cannot tolerate prolonged vacancy. Meanwhile, Patriarch Raï told the delegation that electing a president would restore the credibility of institutions and prevent the ongoing imbalance, as a country without a head is extremely dangerous and unacceptable. This requires lawmakers to expedite the election of the new president instead of taking more time to agree on a name, which may not happen anytime soon due to serious risks to the country.
However, the delegation did not provide a convincing answer regarding the dialogue that Berri had called for, aimed at reaching a consensus on the figure who might be elected president. Nonetheless, there was a shared agreement on the necessity of preparing the atmosphere for presidential elections at the earliest possible time, for the benefit of the country and its people.
The meeting also touched upon the subject of holding government sessions, which Patriarch Raï objected to, particularly concerning calling a caretaker government to meet in the absence of a president. The delegation expressed understanding of the patriarch's stance, indicating that no government meetings would be held in the foreseeable future, and that any steps in this regard must consider the positions of the concerned parties to avoid any new political turmoil, especially when efforts should focus on the presidential elections above all else.
Hezbollah's circles conveyed that it is better not to hold government meetings at this time to avoid further internal tensions that could exacerbate the situation and impede progress on urgent electoral challenges.
