Lebanon to Witness Two-Month Presidential Vacuum
The country has entered the stage of vacuum at the helm of the country's top Christian post after the political arch-foes failed so far to agree on a consensual candidate as reports said that the post is expected to remain vacant for several months.
Sources told An Nahar newspaper published on Wednesday that vacuum will not “last long” due to the international pressure exerted on the political parties.
“The rival parties will reach consensus in mid-July or August,” the sources expected.
The international community continuously stressed the importance to reach agreement over the presidential elections on time ahead of the end of President Michel Suleiman's tenure on May 25.
There are fears that the vacuum in the country's top Christian post would affect Lebanon's power-sharing agreement under which the president should be a Maronite, the premier a Sunni and the speaker a Shiite.
Sources close to the March 14 coalition rejected statements that undermine vacuum.
Parliament has so far failed to elect a new president over differences between the March 8 and 14 alliances.
Most of the March 8 camp's MPs have boycotted four rounds of elections over their call for an agreement on a consensual president.
A fifth round of polls is scheduled to be held Thursday before the expiry of Suleiman's six-year tenure.
Meanwhile, As Safir newspaper reported that Bkirki and the Christian leaders are preparing to confront the first day after Suleiman's term expires.
“Vacuum seems to be inevitable,” sources close to Bkirki said.
H.K.
G.K.
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