What is the fate of the National Moderation Bloc's initiative following the fiery trials it has faced in recent days? How has the Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, who is an obligatory passage for it, dealt with this initiative? The Moderation Bloc attempted to advance its presidential initiative through the needle's eye of the complexities surrounding the presidential file, striving through diplomacy to find intersections among the political forces represented in the Parliament. However, one can conclude that the maneuvering with the live political ammunition carried out by the bloc has resulted in confirming a known fact rather than changing it, which is that the opportune moment for electing a president has not yet matured, waiting for the internal path to converge with the external one at the appropriate time.
Notably, the bloc's efforts quickly stumbled as soon as they transitioned from power to action, where it seemed to have been subjected to conflicting interpretations, while Berri asserts that the essence of this effort is clear from the outset and unequivocal. Berri told "Al-Joumhouria," explaining the truth of his position: "We have shown all possible positivity toward the National Moderation Initiative and dealt with it with openness. I understood with the bloc's deputies during my meeting with them all the details concerning this initiative, from A to Z, and we had a common approach to the matters. Therefore, what we heard from some after the bloc's round has nothing to do with the essence of the initiative and what we agreed upon with its proponents."
Berri expresses surprise at the idea that a number of deputies should gather in the council, a notion promoted by some, considering this odd proposal reflects a kind of frivolity and lightness in political behavior during one of the most delicate phases Lebanon is going through. It’s as if these deputies convening would be randomly brought together in the council's hall, and then, after this fateful meeting, they would decide to deliberate on the presidential entitlement.
Berri confirms that if an agreement on the identity of the next president cannot be reached within the context of any hypothetical dialogue or consultation, he is ready to hold an election session with consecutive rounds, the first, second, third, and fourth. However, if we are unable to elect a president during these sessions, it is my duty to close the session's minutes and then set a date for another session in the near future.
He warns that keeping the session open would pose a significant risk as it disrupts the legislative role of the Parliament, especially since it has become the only constitutional institution that still operates regularly. Berri points out that the five-member committee agrees with him on the importance and necessity of dialogue, noting that there are, unfortunately, people in Lebanon who act as if the nearby church does not heal.
To illustrate this, Berri recalls a live example before reaching the famous Doha Agreement, explaining that he had proposed before going to Qatar to adopt a comprehensive basket for a solution, but his proposal was internally rejected by several forces before they later agreed to the same comprehensive basket when they reached Doha, as noted in "Al-Joumhouria."
