Daoud Rammal, “Akhbar al-Yawm” agency

Lebanon's Presidential Election: Berri Stands to Gain No Matter the Outcome of the January 9 Session

Source to "Akhbar Al-Yawm": Presidential election stuck between lack of quorum and waiting for external balances

The Lebanese presidential election is approaching a new turning point as the session scheduled for the ninth of this month draws near. However, enthusiasm for completing the election on this date appears to be waning due to international and regional calculations.

A well-informed source told "Akhbar Al-Yawm" agency that "the general tendency leans towars patience and waiting for an additional two months to clarify regional and international developments, especially regarding Syria and the new directions of U.S. foreign policy under President-elect Donald Trump. The choice will be made based on Lebanese interests through a figure capable of navigating the new transformations”.

The source explained that "this cautious approach reflects a sense of reservation among Lebanese political forces, which are naturally influenced by international and regional dynamics. The situation in Syria, a pivotal factor in Lebanese political balances, remains unstable, making it difficult to take definitive domestic stances. Furthermore, the new U.S. administration has yet clearly outlined its strategies towards the region, prompting Lebanese parties to act cautiously in making final decisions, especially in presidential matters, which might lead the country into a state of stagnation or negative deadlock, while a radically different governing dynamism is required from before”.

The source noted that "if the upcoming session fails due to a lack of quorum, the positions of Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri will gain additional weight, both domestically and internationally. The opposition has previously accused him of blocking the Parliament from any chance to elect a president, but his repeated calls to hold electoral sessions and set clear dates take this argument away from his critics. In fact, Berri stands to gain regardless of the outcome of the session on the ninth of this month".

The source emphasized that "the fate of the session on the ninth remains tied to political equations that will shape up in the final moments. However, the general direction indicates that the Lebanese scene will remain in suspension for some time, awaiting the crystallization of the regional and international picture. Meanwhile, concerns are growing over the continued presidential vacuum and its repercussions at various levels".