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Berri Sets January 9 for Election... A Glimmer of Hope to End Presidential Vacuum
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Timing of presidential election call with ceasefire indicates attempt to leverage regional conditions to resolve political crisis
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri initiated a new political move on Thursday by officially calling for a session to elect a president on January 9, according to the official National News Agency.
The agency broadcasted a statement saying "Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for a parliamentary session to elect a president on January 9," in an attempt to overcome two years of presidential vacancy due to lack of consensus among political blocs.
The Lebanese parliament has struggled to elect a successor to former President Michel Aoun since the end of his term in October 2022, with 12 previous election attempts failing as no party holds a sufficient parliamentary majority.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed optimism in a speech on Wednesday, hoping that the truce would mark "a new page in Lebanon leading to the election of a president."
Hezbollah's Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in his last statement before the ceasefire took effect, emphasized his party's readiness to make an "effective contribution to electing a president through parliament in a constitutional manner."
Lebanese political traditions allocate the presidency to the Maronite community, while the Sunni community holds the prime ministry, and the Shiite community holds the parliament speaker position.
Levant-Agencies
