Lebanon is “obliged” to elect a president during the 60-day ceasefire with Israel, according to an additional protocol included in the ceasefire agreement, it has been claimed. The Lebanese parliament, which has failed to elect a president for over two years, will vote again in January.
Three official sources in Beirut told The National that Lebanon is “obliged” to elect a president during the 60-day ceasefire with Israel as part of the agreement that ended the conflict with Hezbollah. After multiple failed attempts over the past two years, the Lebanese parliament has announced a new vote scheduled for January.
The announcement follows the recently established ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
A senior Lebanese security source involved in the ceasefire negotiations told The National: “During the negotiations that led to the agreement, it was agreed with the mediators that Lebanon must elect a president within the 60-day ceasefire period. This is part of the agreement.”
According to a Lebanese government source, the ceasefire agreement includes “an additional protocol” mandating the election of a president and the formation of a government during the 60-day period. The agreement also aims to reactivate key Lebanese state institutions. Another senior political source in Beirut emphasized that “a meeting will be held during the 60-day ceasefire to elect a president,” but did not provide further details.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed the presidential election session, stating: “I promised myself that I would set a date for a session to elect the president of the republic immediately after the ceasefire. I now announce that the session will be held on 9 January. We have one month to reach an agreement.”
However, it remains unclear whether the session will successfully lead to the election of a president.
