Hours after truce, Berri calls for effort to fill presidency
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called Wednesday for another effort to fill the country’s long-vacant presidency just hours after a ceasefire to halt hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect.
Lebanon has been without a president since October 2022, as its deeply divided parliament has been unable to elect a new head of state. The last effort to elect a president was more than a year ago.
Berri called for political parties to come together to elect a president “who unites rather than divides.”
“I call upon you because a moment of truth in which we must unite for the sake of Lebanon has arrived,” Berri said in a televised address.
“This is a test for how we can save Lebanon. How we can build it and how we can bring back life for its constitutional institutions.”
The war compounded Lebanon’s economic troubles and worsened tensions between political groups allied and opposed to Hezbollah.
Berri spearheaded Lebanon’s negotiation efforts for a U.S.-brokered ceasefire to end the war. He’s a top Shiite politician and a key ally of Hezbollah.
Berri called on those displaced by Israel's war to return home.
"I invite you to return to your homes... return to your land," said Berri, despite warnings to the contrary from Lebanon and Israel's militaries.
27 November 2024, 14:00
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The constitution MUST be changed to have the The President elected by popular vote.
MPs must be elected by the one man one vote and winner takes all. I bet you if this happens my guess is 100 out of the 128 Mps currently will never see the light of day of ever being elected.
27 November 2024, 14:03
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Call parliament into session, make a finding of a quorum, lock the doors, vote until there is a winning presidential candidate.
If ministers are not in the chamber when it is time to vote, they can be recorded as Abstain without allowing a change in quorum to affect procedure. The Speaker has that constitutional discretion.
Get it done or get out of the way.
27 November 2024, 15:27
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A Vichy government, Hizb appointed prime minister, incompetent Batrak & Orthodox Mutrans, Duo negotiated deal, Netanyahu as before supported Hamas to weaken Palestinian Authority now insuring Hizb retain arms to weaken Lebanon & keep threat so he stays in power, a Lebanese army infiltrated and subservient to Hizbollah, etc. Under all this what kind of puppet president we can elect? What kind of future for Lebanon with Hizb cancer remaining? Who will compensate for indirect cost of war? The hundreds of billions cost to our economy since Hizb assassinated Hariri and occupied Lebanon? Cedar Revolution I made a mistake by being appropriated by politicians and not making space for Shia moderates. Lesson learned: Cedar Revolution II will be fully funded by the diaspora, work closely with Shia silent majority the main victims of Iran brigade, and insist on total disarming of Hizb and bringing its leaders and puppets to justice! Cedar Revolution II is coming!
