Weeks before the end of his presidency, Aoun refuses to hand Lebanon over to a resigned government and a vacuum looms on the horizon

Beirut -

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said - referring to the caretaker government headed by Najib Mikati - "Such a government is not qualified to take over my powers after the end of my term, and I consider that it does not have the national legitimacy to replace the President of the Republic."

He added, "Therefore, unless a president of the republic is elected or a government is formed before October 31, and if they insist that (to push me into a corner), there is a question mark surrounding my next step and the decision I will take then."

President Aoun expressed his position in statements to the Lebanese newspaper "Al-Jumhuriya" today, Thursday, about 7 weeks before the end of his term.

Najib Mikati (right) was unable to form a government in agreement with President Michel Aoun (communication sites)

The absence of a political settlement

The constitutional deadline for electing a new president for the country began on the first of September and will continue until October 31, 2022. Many believe that Lebanon will enter the presidential vacuum phase, as a result of the absence of a political settlement that predicts the possibility of electing a president before the deadline for the constitutional deadline.

While Lebanon is preparing to elect the 14th president, Aoun is escalating his political stances, as the presidential election comes for the first time in light of a government that has resigned since the parliamentary elections last May, and is carrying out the tasks of a caretaker headed by Najib Mikati.

Mikati was unable to form a government in agreement with Aoun, while the latter and his political team question the legitimacy of a resigned government receiving the powers of the presidency.

On the reasons for not forming a government before the end of his term, Aoun said, "I have a feeling that the obstruction is deliberate, so that President Mikati and those with him and his successor put their hands on the country through a caretaker government that does not meet the conditions to replace the President of the Republic, and if such a repulsive situation arises, I will not acquiesce." I will face him."

The Lebanese President stressed that he is ready to cooperate in order to form the government, considering that he has the greatest interest in its birth, "because I want to be assured that the void, if it occurs, will be filled in the appropriate way, but I also do not accept any government, because it may be waiting for it to face huge challenges and responsibilities, You have to have the capacity and coverage to tackle it."

presidential vacuum

On the specifications of the next president, Aoun said, "It is important for him to be familiar with the constitution and laws and be committed to implementing them, even if this is annoying to his partners in power."

Regarding the names of the politicians circulating for the presidency, he said that "Gibran Bassil is not a candidate, and the others do not meet the necessary conditions to take over the position."

Aoun's positions were preceded by high-pitched statements by his son-in-law, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, who announced last Tuesday that he did not recognize the legitimacy of the resigned government after the end of Aoun's term, and his absolute refusal to take over the powers of the presidency as a "government usurping power and lacking constitutional legitimacy," justifying this by saying that "the vacuum is not filled." emptiness".

According to Article 62 of the Lebanese Constitution, “When the presidency becomes vacant, the powers of the presidency are entrusted to the Council of Ministers as an agency.”

However, the constitution did not address the problem of the resigned government in a presidential vacuum, which raises the ceiling of political debate and conflicting jurisprudence in explaining the constitution, especially since Aoun’s opponents and legal experts consider that the resigned government can play the role of the non-resigning government in a vacuum and take over the powers of the presidency, on the basis that it is not possible to enter a vacuum. Absolute in power.

Aoun said that Gebran Bassil (photo) is not a candidate for the presidency (Reuters)

Parliament and the election of the President

In parallel, the Grand Mufti of the Republic, Abdel Latif Derian, had previously announced his support for President Mikati at this stage, which intensified the political and sectarian debate in the country.

In a first step under Derian, Dar Al-Fatwa called on the 27 Sunni representatives to hold a meeting on September 24 under the title "Promoting Sunni Islamic and National Unity."

Not all Sunni MPs have announced their acceptance of the call, which coincides with the escalation of the conflict over powers between the two presidencies of the republic and the government.

So far, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has not invited deputies to a session to elect a president.

In the event that the invitation is not sent, Parliament meets by default and obligatory 10 days before the end of Aoun’s term, which sessions may not lead to the election of a president, thus entering the country in a vacuum.

Constitutionally, the election of the President of the Republic shall be by a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of members of Parliament consisting of 128 members, i.e. 86 deputies, and in the second term by an absolute majority, i.e. 65 deputies.