January 10, 2025
By Nasser Kandil
Many messages and truths emerged between the two parliamentary sessions dedicated to electing the President of the Republic, culminating in General Joseph Aoun’s election with 99 votes in the second round.
The first round aimed to reveal the true political weight of both the supporters and opponents of the resistance, as well as to measure the extent to which international and regional pressures, even under the most favourable circumstances, could transform Lebanon into a protectorate managed by external powers, bypassing domestic political opinion.
Resistance supporters succeeded in demonstrating that the campaign against the resistance, supported by foreign actors and internal mobilisation, failed to secure even half of the parliamentary votes. The 71 votes General Aoun received in the first round were not entirely his own but reflected the coalition of internal and external forces seeking to isolate the resistance. Within this figure, 8 votes came from resistance-aligned blocs, specifically those of Ministers Suleiman Frangieh and Faisal Karami. This means the isolation campaign’s actual strength fell short of half the members of Parliament, contrary to its expectations of reaching 86 votes (two-thirds of Parliament) without the support of the resistance-aligned duo.
The resistance-aligned duo proved itself unyielding and resilient, demonstrating that even in the most challenging times, it cannot be broken or coerced. Its success in compelling major international powers and influential regional actors to recognise the necessity of reaching an understanding with it underscored its status as a genuinely sovereign force, impervious to enticement or intimidation.
The duo also highlighted that consensus is the guaranteed path to success in critical junctures, while the pursuit of dominance leads only to delays and failure. Once consensus was achieved, the process unfolded smoothly, resulting in the election.
Moreover, the duo refuted claims of the resistance’s defeat following the southern war and dismissed assertions of its weakness after the changes in Syria. Instead, it reaffirmed the resistance’s strength, capabilities, and substantial popular and political representation, solidifying its role as a pivotal partner in every significant national decision.
