Over 4.1 million gather at Grand Mosque on 29th night of Ramadan    Myanmar earthquake death toll climbs to 144    Zelenskyy says new US draft minerals deal 'significantly differs,' rules out treating aid as a loan    Sudanese army says it has cleared final RSF positions in Khartoum    Trump renews push to acquire Greenland    Interior minister visits Grand Mosque operations center    Saudi Arabia prepares over 19,000 mosques and open-air prayer grounds for Eid Al-Fitr prayers    Reef Saudi bazaar celebrates rural heritage with traditional crafts and strong public turnout    World's largest barbershop opens at Clock Towers Center in Makkah to serve pilgrims    Saudi non-oil exports jump 10.7% in January    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    OMODA&JAECOO Accelerate Global Expansion JAECOO J8 records strong first month orders in Saudi Arabia, J5 prepares for launch    LOT - The Value Shop makes its grand debut in Hafar Al-Batin    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    Disney's Snow White film tops box office despite bad reviews    NewJeans announces hiatus after setback in court battle    George Foreman, heavyweight champion and cultural icon, dies at 76    Court rules against K-pop group NewJeans in record label dispute    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



At last, a president in Lebanon
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 05 - 11 - 2016

It took more than two years but Lebanon finally has a new president. The Lebanese parliament's election of Michel Aoun ends a 29-month presidential vacuum. Over that period, the Lebanese parliament held 45 votes in an attempt to find a successor to Michel Suleiman. However, all of the votes failed because rival factions blocked one another. On one side is Hezbollah and its ally the March 8 Alliance, which is supported by Iran. On the other side is the pro-Western March 14 Alliance. Because Lebanon's political system is based on denominational proportionality, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament a Shiite Muslim.
Under this sectarian power-sharing system and in the middle of two opposing alliances, it's a wonder a president was named. The election was made possible by a deal between Aoun and Saad Al-Hariri, the son of the former Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri. The breakthrough for Aoun came when Al-Hariri, the leader of March 14, endorsed him. Days before the election, it became known that Al-Hariri, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2011, had backed away from his declared principles and would see to it that Aoun emerged as the election victor. In return, Aoun named Al-Hariri prime minister, and has asked him to form a new government after he secured the support of a majority of MPs.
The deal will bring this uneasy alliance closer together at least for now. Yet Al-Hariri's decision to publicly endorse Aoun carries political risks. Aoun is extremely disliked by Al-Hariri's supporters, and his election may be seen as a victory for Hezbollah and its role in Syria.
It is the Syria question, more than any other, that highlights the divide in opinion between Al-Hariri and his archenemy, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Al-Hariri wants Hezbollah to get out of the war in neighboring Syria and turn over its weapons. Moreover, Al-Hariri accuses Hezbollah of having been involved in the 2005 murder of his father. It is uncertain how Aoun will react to the situation now that he is partnered with Al-Hariri, yet remains a friend of Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has been very squarely backing Aoun for president and this was always the deal between Aoun's party and Hezbollah. Hezbollah has upheld its end of the deal. With this election, Hezbollah's position will be consolidated in terms of its political allies as well as its position in Lebanon.
Although work in the current government has been repeatedly halted by differences of opinion over the last two years, Hezbollah's veto power in the Lebanese parliament and its rejection of various possible candidates is mostly to blame for why Lebanon did not have a president for so long. Although Hezbollah has representation in parliament, its involvement in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, its actions as a militia separate from the Lebanese national army and its use of military power against its opponents have all resulted in the Gulf Cooperation Council labeling it a terrorist movement.
The next challenge will be forming a government and that is expected to take months of wrangling. The parliament that elected Aoun has twice extended its own mandate, avoiding elections because of disagreements over a new electoral law. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for next year but whether they will be held is something else.
Lebanon today has lost the title it once held, the "Bride of the Middle East". It is no longer a popular destination for tourism. Its future will depend on how the new cabinet comes together, and whether it can really bring forth problem-solving initiatives and then implement them. Hence the presidential election is just the first step on a long journey with an uncertain outcome.


Clic here to read the story from its source.