The newspaper "Al-Akhbar" pointed out that President Nabih Berri's proposal for a seven-day dialogue in preparation for open electoral sessions has taken a positive turn regarding the clarity of the positions of parliamentary blocs, most of which have sided in his favor. As the countdown begins for the return of French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Beirut, the question arose about whether Berri would invite for dialogue before or after the visit. Notably, Berri asked the new French ambassador Hervé Magro about the visit schedule, to which the ambassador replied, "We have no official information, but it could start from the eleventh of this month."
Recently, a significant point emerged represented by a strong "yes" for dialogue against a "no," which has been restricted to the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb Party, along with some independent MPs. However, it is noteworthy that the "yes" did not remain confined to the parliamentary blocs; the most important position among them came from Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi, who called for lawmakers to participate unconditionally, creating significant confusion among the opposition, whose MPs launched a campaign against Bkirki, only to be forced to retract it later. It became clear that Bkirki's statement, along with the Progressive Socialist Party's supportive stance towards dialogue, unsettled some independent MPs who postponed their decision.
According to the numbers, Berri has garnered support from around 91 MPs from the supportive blocs (Hezbollah, Amal Movement, the Marada, the Moderation bloc, the National Accord bloc, the Free Patriotic Movement, the Socialist Party, the Tashnag Party, and several independents), compared to 29 dissenting MPs (Lebanese Forces, Kataeb, and Renewal) along with Change and independent MPs. So far, four out of twelve "Change" MPs have made firm decisions not to participate: Waddah Sadek, Michel Douehi, Mark Daou, and Yassine Yassin, who emphasized that his boycott is not aligned with any team in the country against another but stems from respect for the constitution, which does not mention a dialogue prior to electing a president.
While MP Najat Saliba avoided announcing her stance on Berri's invitation, MP Elias Jaradeh confirmed his support for Berri's initiative and his attendance at dialogue sessions, which he considered "necessary for bridging gaps between the parties." It was noted that MPs Ni'am Efram and Jamil Aboud have not yet made definite decisions, suggesting that accepting the invitation is not out of the question based on "national interest that necessitates urgency in electing a president."
Furthermore, the positions of MPs from Sidon-Jezine, including Osama Saad, Abdul Rahman al-Bazri, and Sherbel Mas'ad, remain unknown. Nevertheless, questions about the answers remain unclear: Will Berri be satisfied with the supporting blocs, regardless of other parties, relying on the Maronite Patriarch's position, or will he retract the invitation? Is his invitation a way to shift the responsibility onto the dialogue opponents after the five countries hinted at imposing sanctions on disruptors? Is the call for dialogue coordinated with the French, or does it support their initiative, and does it have the backing of the international committee of the five?
Informed sources indicate that the majority's support for dialogue, which includes a wide Sunni bloc that has reassured the Council President according to reports, reflects external objections to the invitation. The recent visit of Saudi ambassador Walid Bukhari to Bkirki left an impression of support for the Patriarch's stance.
However, questions remain about who will preside over the dialogue, knowing that sources close to Ain al-Tineh mentioned that Berri previously suggested to Le Drian that his deputy Elias Abu Saad chair the dialogue table, considering that Berri would be a party and not present, with MP Ali Hassan Khalil representing him. He was subsequently surprised to learn that Abu Saad was not among the figures invited by Le Drian to the dialogue, which also surprised Berri himself.
