Lebanon is facing renewed calls for a new president to be elected following a two-year power vacuum as the deadly Israeli offensive has thrown the country into turmoil amid fears the crisis could further escalate into a prolonged all-out war.
Lebanon has been without a president since October 2022, when the term of former president Michel Aoun ended. Political divisions and a lack of agreement among parliamentary blocs have resulted in failed attempts to elect a new leader, while the Middle Eastern nation is heavily divided between numerous political forces and different religious sects.
"We know very well that the Lebanese factions are highly influenced by foreign powers that dictate their policies. Some are controlled by the Americans, others by the Gulf, Iran, Syria and more," said local political writer Ramy Naeem.
Parliament member Abdel Rahman Bazry told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that these conflicting agendas have paralyzed parliament, leading to the presidential post lying empty.
"The parliament is the sole body that has the authority to elect a president and to form a cabinet. Unfortunately some people have been trying to manipulate this by putting certain conditions on the parliament or by really preventing the parliament from going into an election," said Bazry, who represents Sidon in the Lebanese parliament.
The Lebanese death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 2,300 since last October, with over 10,000 injured, while over a million people have been displaced.
Given the severity of this unfolding situation, there's a heated debate over how any potential leader should prioritize handling the current crisis.
"As a member of the opposition, I want a president first who fulfills the demands of the people to end the war, not a president that will back the resistance and Hezbollah," said Naeem.
"The priority is as follows: to keep the internal front more cohesive. Second, to work all together with our government to achieve a ceasefire and third, to elect a president so we can have a new government," said Bazry.
Hezbollah is a major player in Lebanon with 15 seats in parliament and two seats in government. Some Lebanese forces and western powers like the U.S. and France want to exclude the Iran-backed Hezbollah from the equation, and blame the group for dragging the country into a war it cannot win.
But even staunch opponents of Hezbollah know it is unrealistic to dismiss the armed group completely.
"Who elects the representatives in parliament are the Lebanese people. I can't force the Shiites in Lebanon not to vote for their candidates. However, I can tell them that I don't accept your representative to be armed and point a gun at me. No political party has the right to arm itself and violate our constitution," said Naeem.
Many people inside the country are calling for Hezbollah to disarm and merge within the Lebanese military forces. But despite the daily onslaught and air raids from Israel that have been targeting Hezbollah leaders and it's infrastructure, officials say they are still adamant to continue their resistance against the Israeli aggression.
"The resistance is in good shape and we are taking every calculated step to strengthen our stronghold on the field politically and in the war zone," Hezbollah spokesman Mohamed Afify told reporters on Saturday.
Lebanon struggles with internal power vacuum as it battles Israel
