Lebanon's leadership puzzle: Army command vacancy looms

The war in Gaza and the ongoing attacks on the West Bank and southern Lebanon have not stirred a sense of national duty among the obstructers to rescue what remains of state institutions. Most of these institutions have become prey to sectarianism and are influenced by market forces.

This article was originally published in, translated from online newspaper Al-Anbaa.

With the presidency vacant for over a year and the inability to appoint a governor for the Central Bank of Lebanon, all eyes are now on how to address the impending vacancy in the leadership of the army as the term of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun approaches its end on the 10th of January next year.

So far, there is no consensus among the concerned parties on resolving this issue. While some call for an extension for the army commander, others seek retribution for personal reasons that are no longer hidden.

However, political sources highlighted the efforts made by Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to find an acceptable solution to extend the term of the army commander by the consensus of most political forces.

In this context, the Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi refuses to compromise on the position of the army commander. According to him, allowing the vacancy in the presidency and the governorship of the Central Bank to affect the army's leadership is not permissible.

Some sources quoted Mikati expressing optimism about finding an acceptable solution to the army commander's tenure.

In this context, Member of the Development and Liberation Bloc, MP Michel Moussa, stated to Al-Anbaa that there is nothing new regarding the army leadership.

"The matter is still swinging between acceptance and rejection, with no clear resolution yet, and any solution requires the approval of the majority of parliamentary blocs. Until now, this seems unavailable," he pointed out.

Regarding the possibility of inviting Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri to convene a parliamentary session to resolve this issue, as proposed by the Strong Republic Bloc, Moussa clarified that the bloc submitted a repeated expedited draft law.

However, specific procedures, whether for proposed laws or bills, require a session with an agenda discussing all bills referred to the parliament by parliamentary committees. Afterward, the repeated expedited draft is discussed. Whether they will accept such an agenda is the question.

 

Furthermore, he revealed that communication is ongoing to prepare for an acceptable solution.

He believed that the Cabinet could come up with a specific outcome, but this required the consensus of the majority of blocs, relying on the position of Patriarch Al-Rahi, who may help in the solution.

He also said involving the military institution in the political tug-of-war is unacceptable. It is the only institution that enjoys the consensus of all Lebanese for its national role in protecting the country.

Thus, do the obstructers realize the seriousness of the situation and work to end the vacancy in the military institution before it happens