The leader of the Hezbollah parliamentary group Mohammad Raad during a party event in Majdal Zoun (South Lebanon) on Nov. 13, 2022. (Credit: courtesy of Mountasser Abdallah)
BEIRUT — The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc MP Mohammad Raad said on Sunday that his party "knows who it wants" to elect to succeed Michel Aoun as president of Lebanon and is working to achieve this goal. On Nov. 1, following the end of Aoun's term in office, Lebanon for the first time in its history entered a power vacuum at both the cabinet and presidential levels.
During an event in Majdal Zoun, South Lebanon, Raad said, "Regarding the presidential election, we know who we want to elect and we are acting to ensure that this person becomes president."
Raad's remarks come after five failed parliamentary sessions devoted to electing a new president. Hezbollah has voted blank in each of these sessions, as have its allies: the Amal Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Marada Movement. The leaders of the FPM and Marada, Gebran Bassil and Sleiman Frangieh, are both allies of Hezbollah, although they rivals of each other. Both are also considered potential presidential candidates. However, Hezbollah has yet to show its official support for either party leader, and has so far voted blank in electoral sessions.
"We are in a hurry more than anyone," Raad added in reference to the election of a new president. "The challenge is not to raise our voice, but to act seriously," he continued.
During Parliament's last presidential election session, MP Michel Moawad received 44 votes, while the remainder of the 108 MPs participating cast protest or blank ballots.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said Friday that his party wants a president "who will not betray the resistance, will not plot against it and will not stab it in the back" — the term "resistance" referring to the party itself.
Regarding the vacuum at the government level, Raad said that his party "had made every effort to form a government to run the affairs of the country before the end of the mandate [of Michel Aoun], but they were in vain, because there are stubborn people who want the country to remain in political vacuum."
The formation of a new government before Aoun's term ended reportedly failed because of disagreements between Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati.