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Lebanon: Parliament Asks Govt to Continue in Caretaker Capacity amid Presidential Vacuum

The Lebanese parliament calls on Mikati to maintain a caretaking role. (Photo: Hassan Ibrahim)
The Lebanese parliament calls on Mikati to maintain a caretaking role. (Photo: Hassan Ibrahim)
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Lebanon: Parliament Asks Govt to Continue in Caretaker Capacity amid Presidential Vacuum

The Lebanese parliament calls on Mikati to maintain a caretaking role. (Photo: Hassan Ibrahim)
The Lebanese parliament calls on Mikati to maintain a caretaking role. (Photo: Hassan Ibrahim)

The Lebanese Parliament asked caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to “move forward with his work”, in an indirect rejection of a letter addressed to him by President Michel Aoun one day before the end of his presidential term.

In his letter on Monday, Aoun had signed a decree accepting the resignation of the caretaker government, thus limiting its constitutional powers.

Mikati’s caretaker cabinet has been managing the country’s affairs since the end of its mandate with the holding of parliamentary elections in May.

During a parliamentary session to discuss Aoun’s letter, Mikati said that his government would continue to work “to avoid constitutional accountability on charges of violating the duties stipulated in Article 70 of the Constitution.”

He added that his government, which is already considered resigned without the need for a decision from the president, should proceed with its caretaker capacity out of its “constitutional duties”, stressing that a vacuum would contradict the constitution.

Speaker Nabih Berri, for his part, said that all the stances unanimously agreed that the priority was to elect a president of the republic.

"Since the election of the Parliament and until today, I have reiterated the same as you did, the need that there should be consensus,” Berri told the deputies.

The Speaker has scheduled a session to elect a new president on Thursday, saying he would convene Parliament on a weekly basis for this purpose.

“I hope that consensus is reached throughout this week between all the blocs and groups…. If a compromise is not made here or there, we won’t reach a solution,” he said.

The positions of political parties have varied regarding Aoun’s letter.

A member of the Democratic Gathering bloc, MP Wael Abu Faour, said: “Partnership is not an option… The bloc is committed to the only solution, which is to elect a president who can save us from all these complications…”

For his part, Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan stressed that the government should continue its caretaking role to avoid a constitutional vacuum.

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Syria Launches Border Security Sweep amid Fears of Iranian Activity

Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
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Syria Launches Border Security Sweep amid Fears of Iranian Activity

Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.

Damascus has launched a security operation in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border in what sources described as a preemptive move, amid warnings that Iran could mobilize allied armed groups in the area, sources in the Syrian capital told Asharq Al-Awsat.

According to the sources, Syrian authorities received regional intelligence alerts about the potential for Iran to activate factions and militia members formerly linked to its Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

These groups, which remain active in cross-border smuggling, maintain extensive ties with Iraqi militias aligned with Tehran.

The sources said there are growing concerns that Iran may use these proxies to carry out attacks against US-led coalition forces or regional troops, as a means of broadening the conflict and easing pressure from Israeli strikes.

Two days after a phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syria’s President Ahmed Al-Sharaa - during which Erdogan reportedly urged Damascus to stay out of the conflict - Syrian authorities announced the launch of a sweeping security campaign in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.

Col. Derrar Al-Shamlan, head of internal security in Deir Ezzor, said on Monday that a “comprehensive security operation” had begun across the province, in full coordination with the Ministry of Defense, which is providing security cover and logistical support.

Shamlan urged residents to report any suspicious activity, saying the operation is aimed at rooting out remnants of what he called the “defunct regime.”

The campaign began at dawn on Monday with the imposition of a curfew in the border city of Al-Mayadeen, about 45 kilometers southeast of Deir Ezzor.

Al-Shamlan said the security campaign began in Al-Mayadeen due to the presence of wanted individuals involved in activities posing a “direct threat to public safety,” including drug trafficking, murder, and assaults on civilians.

In an official statement carried by Syrian state media, Shamlan said the operation would unfold in “phases” to ensure “maximum precision and effectiveness,” while stressing full respect for citizens’ rights and a clear distinction between suspects and innocent civilians.

He added that the campaign targets only those for whom “clear evidence exists” linking them to the listed crimes.

Local sources in Deir Ezzor told Asharq Al-Awsat that the security situation in eastern Syria remains highly complex, as internal security forces and the Ministry of Defense face mounting challenges in asserting control.

A key obstacle, they said, is the entrenched tribal structure in the region. Damascus has relied on a decentralized military presence, with local groups affiliated with security and defense institutions tasked with managing the area.

However, many of these recruits are former members of militias previously aligned with the Syrian regime, Iran, or Russia - a legacy that has fueled public resentment.

Several individuals have been dismissed from the public security force in recent weeks following accusations of abuses and violations against civilians.