Lebanon is “obliged” to elect a president during the 60-day ceasefire with Israel, according to an additional protocol included in the ceasefire agreement, it has been claimed. The Lebanese parliament, which has failed to elect a president for over two years, will vote again in January.
Three official sources in Beirut told The National that Lebanon is “obliged” to elect a president during the 60-day ceasefire with Israel as part of the agreement that ended the conflict with Hezbollah. After multiple failed attempts over the past two years, the Lebanese parliament has announced a new vote scheduled for January.
The announcement follows the recently established ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
A senior Lebanese security source involved in the ceasefire negotiations told The National: “During the negotiations that led to the agreement, it was agreed with the mediators that Lebanon must elect a president within the 60-day ceasefire period. This is part of the agreement.”
According to a Lebanese government source, the ceasefire agreement includes “an additional protocol” mandating the election of a president and the formation of a government during the 60-day period. The agreement also aims to reactivate key Lebanese state institutions. Another senior political source in Beirut emphasized that “a meeting will be held during the 60-day ceasefire to elect a president,” but did not provide further details.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed the presidential election session, stating: “I promised myself that I would set a date for a session to elect the president of the republic immediately after the ceasefire. I now announce that the session will be held on 9 January. We have one month to reach an agreement.”
However, it remains unclear whether the session will successfully lead to the election of a president.
Berri’s announcement coincided with a visit to Beirut by Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s special envoy to Lebanon.
Lebanon’s complex sectarian system of government, established during the French mandate, mandates that the Speaker of Parliament be a Shia Muslim, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim, and the President a Christian Maronite. However, deep divisions between the Maronites and other political factions have prevented a consensus on the presidency.
The Lebanese presidency has been vacant since November 2022, following the expiration of Michel Aoun’s six-year term. In June, the Lebanese parliament held the latest in a series of unsuccessful election sessions, failing to secure a quorum needed to elect a president.
Hezbollah and the Amal Movement are backing Suleiman Frangieh, leader of the Christian Marada Movement. However, Hezbollah’s support for Frangieh has strained its alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement. Meanwhile, the Free Patriotic Movement and several independent opposition MPs have thrown their support behind Jihad Azour, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Director for the Middle East and Central Asia and a former Lebanese Finance Minister.
