Bechara al-Khoury’s mandate, a reflection of British influence

In political circles, Lebanon is often referred to as a country ever permeable to external influence, where embassies and consulates hold sway.While clichéd assertion may allow local stakeholders to shirk their own responsibilities, it also tells a reality: the preponderant role of external powers in major Lebanese elections, especially the presidential election.Since 1943, no president can claim to have been elected without a regional and international green light. Over the decades, several foreign powers have had their say in the election of a Lebanese head of state, be it the United Kingdom, France, Syria, Iran, Egypt or the United States.Once elected, the mandate of a Lebanese president also depends most often on regional factors.This is the story of power games, diplomatic interference, and precarious geopolitical balances that...