Lebanon's presidential election: Two perspectives emerge ahead of January session

Report by Nada Andraos, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

After the Maarab meeting and amid the political movement surrounding the presidential election, the political scene is divided into two perspectives.

One view treats the period leading up to the session on January 9, 2025, as a critical time in which political directions are expected to crystallize. 

The other view sees the election of a "consensus president" as unlikely by that date.

Regardless of the political trends, the external perspective, at least as represented by the Quintet Committee, does not see the election as merely about the names of the candidates but within a broader, integrated framework.

While the identity of the president is important, and there are clear preferences—such as the U.S.-Saudi favoring of the Lebanese Army commander—the president’s program, personality, and performance remain the most crucial factors.

This explains the recent remarks by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, Massad Boulos, to LBCI about the need for patience, in order to choose the best candidate internally.

For the international community, the ideal president would be a reformist, outside the circle of political and financial corruption, and able to engage with both the West and the East.

This president should be equipped with the ability to make decisions and address the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons while working alongside a prime minister to form a cohesive team. 

The president must also be focused on priorities the international community deems essential to restore confidence in Lebanon and shield it from regional conflicts and political calculations. 

Furthermore, they should be committed to implementing all necessary reforms to rebuild Lebanon and its institutions, including the judiciary and security sectors. 

The president should also be dedicated to securing stability and preventing Lebanon from returning to an era of open conflict while leading a government with a clear program to revive the economy, finance, and state governance.

This is the external agenda and its approach to the presidential election.

More important than the name is the character of the individual, their decisiveness, vision, and strength in confronting any attempts to undermine stability, build the state, and ensure the rule of law by legitimate forces.

Lebanese parties and political figures must start as soon as possible to define what they want from Lebanon and what kind of Lebanon they want before beginning the search for a president’s name.