YESTERDAY was presidential election day in Lebanon, and while not a real election – the winner had already been determined by consensus of the country's political leaders – it marks an extremely important turning point in contemporary Lebanon. It is a recognition that after the outburst of violence earlier this month that left 65 people dead and saw all parties looking into the abyss of civil war there are better ways to settle political conflicts than resorting to rifles and mortars. Michel Suleiman, 59, enjoyed the support of all parties mainly because he managed to keep Lebanon relatively violence-free during his tenure as army chief and successfully suppressed a potential civil war in Lebanon's north last year. As a civilian political leader his political positions are largely unknown since a military chief's role rarely entails speaking out. He may call the military shots but that is inevitably in the service of others who are making the political decisions. So there is an element of the unknown in Suleiman despite his acceptance by all concerned parties. At any rate, the Lebanese presidency is not all-powerful. A great deal of power is shared with the prime minister and the council of ministers and under the agreement reached last week in Qatar, the opposition has veto power over a number of potential decisions. Also, a new law for parliamentary elections is due next year, which means that whatever the configuration of parliament today, it is likely to be reconfigured in the relatively near future. Nevertheless, the installation of Suleiman is a focus of such great hope that 200 dignitaries from countries who are decidedly at odds with one another were to have been present. Foreign ministers from Syria and Iran were invited as was a congressional delegation from the US headed by Nick Rahall, a West Virginia Democrat of Lebanese origin. A spokesman for Nabih Berri, the parliament speaker and head of the Amal Movement, said that Berri wanted to cast Suleiman's election as “a reconciliation wedding.” As with any reconciliation, it is necessary for the parties to be completely objective about their needs, their desires and the realistic potential of achieving them. It is President Suleiman's role to maintain a studied neutrality before all parties and ensure that such neutrality carries the voice of authority. __
