Via the BBC: Lebanon faces power vacuum threat
Lebanon is facing a potential power vacuum after its president left office with no elected successor, and rivals argue over who will now take control.
Before he walked out, pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud said that the army should take charge.
That’s never good–especially in a country as fractured as Lebanon and with its history of internal violence:
The crisis has raised fears of civil strife, including the possibility of rival administrations.
Lahoud’s term ended on Friday, and the problem is that parliament cannot agree on a successor:
The president is elected by parliament, but a vote was scuppered after the pro-Syrian opposition did not allow the necessary quorum to be achieved. A new vote has been scheduled for 30 November.
The Guardian’s interpretation is that Lahoud handed power to the military:
Lebanon was again plunged into uncertainty yesterday after parliament failed in a fifth attempt to elect a president, and the former Syrian backed-president Emile Lahoud, whose term ended at midnight, passed control of the security services over to the army, declaring a state of emergency.
However, that does not appear to be the case. At a minimum, the Prime Minister (Fouad Siniora) does not appear to see it that way. From Beirut to the Beltway notes the following:
Although Lahoud did not directly call for state of emergency (post corrected), he handed over all security matters to the Lebanese army, meaning the cabinet would no longer have power over it. AFP quoted an official in the Siniora government as saying Lahoud’s statement “is not valid and is unconstitutional…It is as if the statement was never issued.”
OTB has a news round-up on the subject.
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Another damn mess purposefully designed by Israel and the US.
But they’re not done yet.
Not until every Lebonese is pummeled into the dirt like the Palestinians and Iraqis, and begging for a few shekels to feed their kids.
But unlike the Israelis and the Americans, that’s their land and they will never grovel to any foreigner.
Comment by HAZmaq — Saturday, November 24, 2024 @ 6:29 pm
Yes, Israel and the US are behind everything in Lebanon. Or Syria is. Take your (simplistic) choice of villain.
Now, on a more serious note…
My understanding is that the constitution calls for the cabinet to assume presidential authority when parliament fails to elect a president. Like Turkey earlier this year, it takes a majority of parliament in the presence of a 2/3 quorum. The current opposition, whose ally was Lahoud, has enough seats to block the quorum.
The other wrinkle is that the opposition claims that the cabinet itself is unconstitutional. And they have a point. The Shia are currently not represented, as is required constitutionally, as Hezbollah pulled its members out some time ago.
So, naturally, Lahoud was looking for a way to avoid transferring authority to a cabinet that he not only opposes politically, but that may not even have the constitutional standing to assume what otherwise would be its constitutional authority.
Comment by MSS — Sunday, November 25, 2024 @ 3:22 pm