Lebanese political factions are stepping up efforts to resolve the presidential crisis, with direct and indirect talks underway ahead of the January 9 election session. Despite these efforts, no final agreement has been reached on a candidate.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri remains firm on the January 9 date, expressing hope it will bring an end to the prolonged presidential deadlock.
Previous candidates appear to be out of the picture. Sleiman Franjieh, leader of the Marada Movement and a key ally of Hezbollah and Amal, has not officially withdrawn but seems sidelined.
Similarly, Jihad Azour, once backed by the opposition and Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil, is no longer in contention.
For now, Hezbollah and Amal have left the decision to Franjieh, who has yet to announce his withdrawal, keeping the situation in flux.
Berri has called for a consensus president, but sources from his “Development and Liberation” bloc say it’s too early to rule out Franjieh’s candidacy, as no alternative has been agreed upon.
They remain optimistic that talks will lead to a unified candidate before the January 9 election, stressing that there is still time to reach an agreement.
The sources also reject the idea that Hezbollah and Amal are politically defeated pointing out that their bloc still holds key veto powers in parliament. They stress that current discussions show their intention to find a consensus solution.
On the other hand, the opposition sees the Shiite bloc as losing regional influence and expects them to reassess their position.
Opposition sources say they set out their vision for the presidency before the October 8 developments, emphasizing that the presidency must help build a real state, not just be a symbolic position.
While the opposition is still assessing the Shiite bloc's willingness to negotiate, they expect them to approach the situation with more realism moving forward.
As talks continue, including new communication channels between Berri and the Lebanese Forces party, no agreement has yet been reached for the upcoming session.
However, opposition sources say they have a clear plan for different outcomes and are ready to move forward as discussions intensify.
