Lebanon: Political Parties Organize Ranks In Union Elections Ahead of Parliamentary Polls

President Michel Aoun met on Thursday with Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi to discuss preparations for the parliamentary elections (Dalati & Nohra)
President Michel Aoun met on Thursday with Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi to discuss preparations for the parliamentary elections (Dalati & Nohra)
TT

Lebanon: Political Parties Organize Ranks In Union Elections Ahead of Parliamentary Polls

President Michel Aoun met on Thursday with Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi to discuss preparations for the parliamentary elections (Dalati & Nohra)
President Michel Aoun met on Thursday with Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi to discuss preparations for the parliamentary elections (Dalati & Nohra)

The recent union elections in Lebanon saw some of the major political parties disregard their political differences and join forces in electoral alliances that led to some victories, ahead of the upcoming parliamentary polls.

After a resounding loss that the parties in power encountered in union and university elections over the last two years that followed the uprising of Oct. 2019, political blocs were able to achieve some success in union elections this year, hand in hand, directly or by agreement with independent candidates.

The results affected the momentum of the civil groups, which were unable to form strong fronts amid differences over electoral alliances, according to sources in the opposition who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat.

The Press Editors Syndicate’s elections on Wednesday witnessed the success of a list supported by various Lebanese political parties.

Similarly, the elections of the Beirut Bar Association saw disputing political parties agree on a list headed by Lawyer Nader Gaspar, who achieved victory.

However, according to political sources, the agreement to support specific candidates in the union elections “cannot be built upon as a full alliance”, given that each election “has its own circumstances and calculations.”

Sources close to the Amal Movement said that in the union elections, “there was an intersection between the movement and other parties, including Al-Kataeb, Al-Mustaqbal and the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), but this was controlled by specific circumstances related to the nature of the election. It cannot be generalized or built upon as preparations for the parliamentary elections.”

Political parties and forces deal with the union elections differently, as the parliamentary elections include regional and partisan criteria.

Each party had set a framework for its alliances in the upcoming parliamentary elections. While the PSP did not shut the door to an alliance with the Lebanese Forces and Al-Mustaqbal, sources close to the Amal Movement stressed that alliances were open with any party with whom it would share converging stances.

For his part, resigned MP Elias Hankash said that Al-Kataeb party was committed to its decision to forge alliances only with figures from outside the parliament and the government.

“The closest to us are the resigned deputies and groups with whom we agree on two issues: Lebanon’s sovereignty and rejection of the ‘state within the state’, and the fight against corruption,” Hankash told Asharq Al-Awsat.



Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
TT

Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)

Russia, Iran, and Türkiye have called for an end to Israel’s military escalation in the Middle East, expressing concern over the worsening regional situation and warning of negative impacts on Syria.
At the conclusion of the 22nd round of Syria talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to a political solution, focused on restarting the work of the Constitutional Committee.
The escalation in the region, combined with the uncertainty following US President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, was a major topic of discussion in Astana, both during bilateral talks and in broader sessions.
The Russian delegation was led by Alexander Lavrentiev, Special Representative for Syria, while Iran’s delegation was headed by Ali Asghar Haji, Senior Political Advisor to the Foreign Minister. Türkiye’s delegation was led by Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, Director-General for Syrian Affairs at the Foreign Ministry.
The Syrian government delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Riad, and the opposition delegation, led by Ahmad Tohme, were also present.
Representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), along with observers from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq, attended the talks.
UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen was also present.
Sources at the meetings told Asharq Al-Awsat that much of the discussion focused on the impact of ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon and their effects on Syria, particularly amid Israel’s efforts to expand the conflict.
There was a strong emphasis on preventing Syria from becoming further embroiled in the growing conflict. Additionally, the impact of Trump’s election on US policy towards the region and Syria was widely discussed, with increasing speculation that Trump might follow through on promises to withdraw US troops from Syria.
This issue was highlighted by Russia’s envoy, Lavrentiev, at the close of the talks.
Lavrentiev stated that Russia is open to talks with the new US administration once it is in place to discuss issues related to Syria.
“If there are proposals, Russia is open and ready to continue communication with the US,” he added.
According to Lavrentiev, “Some compromises can only be reached through negotiations.”
A source from the Syrian opposition, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, said there is a shared view that a US withdrawal from Syria is “not inevitable, even if Trump has mentioned it.”
The source noted that Trump has become more pragmatic and responsive to the "deep state," with a better understanding of foreign policy.
The source also pointed out that Türkiye shares this view. While Ankara wants the US to leave, it does not want a unilateral withdrawal without coordination, especially since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are open to talks with both the Syrian government and Russia.

The discussions also highlighted that, despite Israel's efforts to reduce Iranian influence in the region, it is unlikely that Trump will push for a withdrawal under the current situation.