LEBANON FACES POWER VACUUM AT HEAD OF ARMY AS OLD DIVISIONS RESURFACE
▶ Lack of agreement in Parliament over who should control military emphasises challenge of filling leadership roles
The Lebanese Parliament has convened a crucial session that could help to resolve a potential vacuum at the head of the country’s army.
Speaker Nabih Berri called the 128-seat Parliament for a session starting at 11am on Thursday, to vote on a series of laws, including discussions on extending the tenure of Gen Joseph Aoun by a year.
However, the session was adjourned at 1.30pm local time without the vote being held.
MPs are set to resume discussions when they gather again on Friday.
Gen Aoun’s term is set to end on January 10.
In the event of a vacancy at the top of the army, the Chief of Staff would step in – but that role has also been empty for about a year.
The caretaker government has seemingly dragged its feet over the issue, but it has since been revealed that the Council of Ministers was to convene on Friday to talk about the matter. “This is now or never in the Parliament,” said a representative from the Lebanese Forces, the party with the most seats in the country’s bitterly divided legislature.
The party supports extending the term of the Gen Aoun by another year.
“In the Parliament, we believe it’s the right place right now to do it,” the source said.
“This is the only scenario possible that will save this institution from taking steps similar to other institutions, which means taking the Lebanese Armed Forces to an unsure destiny.”
While Lebanon’s competing factions disagree on the way forward, all say it is important to find a solution.
“There can be no vacuum at the head of the military institution,” said Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah.
The head of state is responsible for appointing significant positions, including the commander of the army.
But Lebanon has been without a president since October last year, as the Parliament has failed to agree on a successor to Michel Aoun. The former president is not related to the current army commander.
While the Council of Ministers typically takes on the powers of the head of state in the event of a presidential vacuum – a situation that is common in Lebanon – the cabinet is in a caretaker status and its powers are restricted.
Some political blocs, particularly the Free Patriotic Movement, remain deeply opposed to extending the term of Gen Aoun beyond next month.
The blocs have argued that it would be unconstitutional to do so and that a senior officer could step in to fill the void.
FPM ministers have been abstaining from the cabinet, saying it is unconstitutional to convene meetings owing to its caretaker status.
The FPM has said there are processes in place that mean there would never be a vacuum at the head of the army.
But critics have pointed out the position of chief of staff, which is the second most senior army position, is also vacant.
That has increased the pressure on politicians to resolve the debate over Gen Aoun’s position. They say FPM leader Gebran Bassil’s vocal opposition to extending Gen Aoun’s term is partly due to personal disagreements he has with the army commander.
Mr Bassil has previously accused Gen Aoun of financial irregularities during his tenure at the top of the army.
An aide to Mr Bassil denied his objections to Gen Aoun continuing in the role were down to personal disputes.
“It’s related to the constitution,” the aide said.
The approval of Defence Minister Maurice Sleem is also important, but he has signalled his opposition to extending the term of Gen Aoun.
Mr Sleem is seen as a close ally of the FPM and was nominated as Defence Minister by former president Mr Aoun, founder of the FPM.
Another element to consider is Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group and political party that wields significant influence over the country.
A close ally of Mr Berri’s Amal Movement and still on good terms with the FPM, the Shiite group has not publicly made its position clear.
After a period where relations appeared to be strained, the Hezbollah-FPM alliance seems to be strengthening once more.
Whether Hezbollah backs the FPM remains to be seen, but last month the Iranbacked group underlined the need to “find an appropriate solution to avoid a leadership vacuum in the army, as its term is approaching”.
The political divisions are an illustration of the often impossible tasks the 128 MPs face in finding consensus in a Parliament where no faction holds a majority.
That impasse has meant no one had come close to succeeding Mr Aoun as president, after a series of votes were held in Parliament.
Various officials have tried and failed to hold the presidency, leading to international calls for a third way and another person who could reach the required threshold.
Gen Aoun has been among the names discussed.
While the competing factions in Lebanon disagree on the way forward, all say that a solution must be found