As we approach January 10th next year, the retirement date of General Joseph Aoun, concerns about the leadership vacuum in the army have increased, especially in the absence of a new commander as long as the presidential vacuum remains. According to Article 21 of the National Defense Law, the Chief of Staff acts as the commander in the absence of the army commander. However, the position has been vacant since the retirement of General Amin Al-Aram on December 24, 2022, and finding a replacement has proven difficult. Faced with this situation, efforts have begun to explore legal solutions to fill the void if it occurs. The highest-ranking officer in the Military Council is General Pierre Saab and the highest-ranking officer in the army institution is Brigadier General Ziad Haykal. However, both candidates are facing legal objections. Regarding General Saab, sources suggest that the one expected to take command on the ground should be an officer from the army institution, not the Military Council. Transferring Saab from the Military Council to the army leadership would require a decree in the Cabinet, as he was appointed to the Military Council as a dedicated member and promoted to the rank of general by decree. As for Brigadier General Ziad Haykal, the dilemma is related to ranks. In terms of politics, postponing the retirement of the army commander is blocked, as it either requires a decision from the Minister of Defense, as happened with General Jean Kahwaji during the tenures of Ministers Fayez Ghosn and Samir Moqbel, or a decree from the Cabinet based on the Minister of Defense's proposal. In both cases, it would clash with the strained relationship between General Aoun and Minister Maurice Slim. Delaying retirement through a legislative proposal in Parliament, as happened during the tenure of General Emile Lahoud, would require political consensus to secure the quorum for any legislative session, which is challenging in light of the debate over the constitutionality of legislating in the absence of a president. So, will a solution be left until the last moment as usual, leading the army leadership into a vacuum, or will the military institution be spared from political conflicts?