Lebanon enters a presidential vacuum with the end of Michel Aoun's term

The Presidential Guard removes the Lebanese flag after the end of President Michel Aoun's term.

Reuters

Yesterday, Lebanon entered a phase of a presidential vacancy with the end of the term of President Michel Aoun, at midnight on Monday, Tuesday, due to the absence of a candidate capable of obtaining the required majority in Parliament, while the Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed that the priority remains to elect A new president for the country, and the formation of a new government.

Aoun left the presidential palace on Sunday, a day before the end of his presidential term, as thousands of his supporters gathered to bid him farewell.

Aoun spent the last day of his term on Monday at his residence in Rabieh, north of Beirut.

Since the end of September, Parliament has failed four times to elect a new president, with no party in the House of Representatives having a majority to elect a president.

According to the constitution, the powers of the president must be transferred to the Council of Ministers, but political differences since the parliamentary elections in May have prevented the formation of a new government, while the caretaker government headed by Najib Mikati continues to exercise its tasks.

Aoun preceded the end of his term by signing a decree considering the caretaker government to have resigned, refusing to let the Mikati government exercise the powers of the president.

For weeks, Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati exchanged accusations of obstructing the formation of a government as a result of counter-conditions and conditions.

Aoun's move plunged the country into a constitutional controversy over the powers of the Mikati government, who confirmed that his government, which has been practically resigned since the parliamentary elections, will continue to conduct business.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called on the Parliament to hold a session tomorrow, to read out a letter Aoun sent to Parliament, in which he accused Mikati of obstructing the formation of the government, and of seeking to “rob the presidency.”

For his part, Najib Mikati stressed in an interview with "Sky News Arabia" that the priority remains to elect a new president of the country and to form a new government, and made it clear that the powers of the President of the Republic do not return under the constitution to the Prime Minister, but to the Council of Ministers.

He added, "We will work to manage the country's affairs without provocation, but the priority remains to elect a new president, to form a new government, and to establish cooperation and harmony between them."

From this standpoint, our cooperation with the Council will remain active and effective.”

In response to a question about the possibility of some ministers boycotting the cabinet meeting, the Lebanese official explained: “If the quorum is secured, the session is held, and decisions are taken by a two-thirds majority.

I hope that everyone will cooperate to pass this difficult stage.”

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