The sixth round of French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian's efforts to end the presidential vacuum has revealed a gap that can be described as dialogue or consultation, but not negotiation. The Christian position of the parliamentary forces, particularly the Lebanese Forces Party (LF), asserts that it is neither customary nor within the powers of the Speaker Nabih Berri to call for dialogue. Meanwhile, the Kataeb party, through its leader MP Sami Gemayel, stated that they demand guarantees that the open electoral session will be independent of an agreement on the presidential candidate's name.
The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) was absent from the meeting with Le Drian, as its leader MP Gebran Bassil is currently outside Lebanon. No position has been released following Le Drian's meeting with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi. Le Drian's agenda included a brief dialogue invitation, but according to information sources, it lacked a clear mechanism for implementation. Moreover, the Shiite duo insists that the dialogue must be comprehensive, conducted in the parliament, led by Speaker Nabih Berri, and initiated by him.
According to what was reported in information circles, Le Drian told those he met that if a president is not elected and the crisis persists without a head of state, political Lebanon will cease to exist, leaving only geographical Lebanon. He specified a timeframe that does not exceed the end of July, implicitly referencing June, which starts next Saturday.
Political sources informed "Al-Liwaa" that the activity surrounding the presidential file due to Le Drian's visit is neither decisive nor does it suggest an agreement on electing the country's president. They emphasized that the point regarding consultations is also not final yet, as the opposition demands specific guarantees, especially concerning a session to elect the president, while the resistance forces lack enthusiasm for any concessions and insist on knowing the identity of the president. Consequently, these positions could undermine any efforts.
The sources confirmed that Le Drian spoke in a warning tone to those he met, stating that if a president is not elected, political Lebanon will end, and only geographical Lebanon will remain. They pointed out that any responsiveness to consultations must have the character of consensus and require agreement on discussing names. They noted that Le Drian is continuing his mission in preparation for reporting the results of his meetings to the French president.
Political sources also indicated that the meetings of French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian with political leaders and deputies on the second day of his visit to Lebanon did not differ in substance from the first day, except for the sequence of questions and inquiries he posed to his interlocutors. However, a notable meeting was with the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, which reiterated its previous position supporting the prompt conduct of presidential elections while insisting on prior dialogue or consultations chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri. They continued to endorse the candidacy of the head of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, for the presidency, while addressing the dangers of ongoing presidential vacancy and its negative implications for Lebanon's fate, which Le Drian emphasized and cautioned about repeatedly during his meetings.
Sources characterized the outcome of the French envoy's meeting with the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc as an indication of Hezbollah's continued rigidity in its previous positions, implicitly opposing the separation of presidential elections from the conclusion of the Israeli war on Gaza and showing an unwillingness to abandon Frangieh's candidacy in favor of a third option.
A parliamentary source rejected the claims attributed to Le Drian regarding the end of political Lebanon, stating: "What has been leaked is not accurate; it is an exaggeration by Lebanese standards. What Le Drian said was that this is the last chance to achieve the political milestone, and the parties should not waste it. Otherwise, the crisis will prolong beyond the American elections," deeming that the absence of a president will keep Lebanon outside of any settlement, which is not in Lebanon's interest, according to "Al-Liwaa."
