Beware of Squandering this Opportunity and Failing to Live Up the Aspirations of the Lebanese!

It feels like fate: Lebanon has taken politics back after an absence that had gone on for decades in the aftermath of the coup against the Taif Agreement and the constitution. The Syrian earthquake, which was preceded by the earthquake of Lebanon’s defeat that left Hezbollah with losses that it will never make up for, has ended Iranian interference in Lebanon. Sectarian forces have inevitably lost the capacity to impose their dictates as a result. Their positions on the war had ranged between the full endorsement of Speaker Nabih Berri, who covered for the war that devastated the country, and the indifference shown by others, who behaved as though the catastrophe had occurred in another country!
The people of Lebanon were overjoyed as parliament was compelled to elect Joseph Aoun as president and designate Nawaf Salam as prime minister. There are many conflicting narratives about this shift. However, the performance of the parliamentary deputies who represent change, which complemented the pressure created by the popular "October" mood that swept the country, certainly played a decisive role. This juncture affirmed the disparity that has emerged between the size of the sectarian forces’ parliamentary blocs and their current popularity, which has left them rattled.
A rupture with the era of violating citizens’ rights and humiliating them is now possible as a result. Indeed, the election of the new president and designation of the new prime minister inspires hope for a transition to a new era: one without "protections" that break "immunities" and the end of the era of "evading punishment."
The president’s inaugural address and the prime minister’s speech following his designation, have created an opportunity for radical reform in Lebanon, so long as they do not submit to sectarian parliamentary blocs’ demands that their sects maintain exclusive ownership over particular sects. It is now evident that this parliament does not actually represent the will of the people.
Moreover, the slogan of "extending hands," the emphasis on dialogue and inclusion, and the desire for reconciliation should compel the "sectarian duo of obstruction" to move on. They must accept that a new phase has begun following the election and designation, rather than executing the new prime minister and president to yield to their demands to revamp the old order and overlook corruption, and their attempt to undermine the implementation of the ceasefire and the enforcement of UN Resolution 1701.
Equally crucial, the deputies who seek change must keep up their good work. Their effective moves should also be complemented by pressure from the bottom up, building on what we had seen during the "October" movement and the public’s hope in the emergence of a government capable of implementing long-overdue reforms.
This requires opening the doors of state institutions to marginalized elites and advancing the role of qualified individuals. They can help shape this political phase and ensure that the promises made by Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam are kept after the two men who are not part of the sectarian-quota-based and spoil-sharing regime rose to the top of Lebanon’s political pyramid.
The two men share the same discourse, the president’s inaugural speech and the prime minister’s first speech following his designation both stress the need to go back to respecting the constitution. Doing so entails rejecting hubristic conventions, foremost among them the "blocking third," and insisting on the need to rotate ministerial portfolios.
In this regard, the need to take the finance ministry out of the hands of the party (Nabih Berri) that has long held it. Allowing Berri to maintain his control over this ministry would send a negative message to the international community and most Lebanese citizens. The message would be that "Ali Baba's cave," which has been monopolized by this faction since 2014, remains inaccessible. There are rumors that a certain individual will be appointed to this position. If that happens, this move would be seen as rewarding the party responsible for dragging the country into a war that left immense destruction, displaced a quarter of its population, led to the occupation of our territory, and was the spearhead of the corrupt regime responsible for the country’s political collapse, the systematic impoverishment of the nation, and the plunder of people's life savings.
Once again, if the need to rotate ministerial portfolios is ignored, resistance to change would be reinforced. It would mean the "sectarian duo" maintaining its monopoly over this key ministry, which is essential and would play a key role in any genuine and profound reforms, starting with the financial and banking sectors. Moreover, it would make receiving much-needed aid for reconstruction and recovery far-fetched.
This ministry has been weaponized and used as a "veto" to prevent the emergence of a state. The so-called "third signature," which had been claimed as a "right" and imposed by force of arms, has no legal or constitutional basis. Furthermore, keeping the ministry in the duo’s hands would risk undermining the inaugural and designation speeches, ignoring how the "third signature" has obstructed truth and justice following the Beirut port blast, and has enabled the plunder of the treasury and public land.
This plunder was partially reflected by no-bid contracts involving Hezbollah-linked front companies that helped the party finance its parallel state- contracts that were seen to have constituted the key reason for the US sanctions on former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. Despite these sanctions, he continues to exercise de facto control over the ministry to this day!
Another Lebanon is still possible. There is immense hope that this journey will not falter or be delayed. Caution is essential, and vigilance, in the face of the flood of calls for "compromise" and "reconciliation," is necessary. These demands should not become a pretext for squandering the country's first opportunity to enter an era of economic and financial reform, undertake political reforms, and place Lebanon on the path to recovery.
At this highly critical juncture, it is imperative for the president of the republic and the prime minister-designate not to miss this opportunity that citizens across all regions of Lebanon have pinned their hopes on. They want to see the rebirth of a strong and just state- one that is founded on equality and fairness, protects diversity and freedoms, and where everyone is under the rule of law.
If this Lebanon is to come about, they refuse to revamp the old order, reinstate corrupt figures, and protect criminals. Otherwise the hopes of the Lebanese people will be shattered.