Berri: No Progress on Presidential Initiatives

Nearly two years have passed since Michel Aoun’s presidential term ended in October 2022, and Lebanese MPs have yet to elect a successor. Amidst this political stalemate, opposition MPs have launched a new initiative to push for either consultations or an open session for the presidential election. They are, however, opposed to having these sessions chaired by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who believes that any parliamentary dialogue should be presided over by him.

This disagreement has led to a standoff between the Axis of Defiance and their political adversaries, with both sides blaming each other as Lebanon continues to face a severe economic crisis and rising tensions along its southern border due to ongoing conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri expressed frustration about the lack of progress, stating in an interview with al-Joumhouria newspaper, “We haven’t made any progress, we are still at square one.” He dismissed the opposition’s calls for unofficial consultations within parliament that exclude his leadership, emphasizing that the impasse is due to those rejecting a consensus approach.