From Dar al-Fatwa, Bukhari calls for the election of a president

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, reiterated the urgency of electing a president in Lebanon, a position vacant since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022.

Following a meeting with Lebanon's Grand Mufti, Abdel-Latif Derian, as reported by Dar al-Fatwa's press office, Bukhari emphasized "the importance of holding the presidential election," stating that Saudi Arabia "is eager for Lebanon and its people to overcome their crises." He clarified that the group of five nations involved in the Lebanese issue — United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar — continues "to assist Lebanon in conducting the election and cooperating with all parties to find solutions that can help the country out of its current situation." The group, which has convened multiple meetings to address Lebanon's presidential deadlock, supports the election of a compromise candidate distinct from the two current proposed candidates — Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh, backed by the Amal-Hezbollah alliance, and Jihad Azour, supported by the Christian opposition, the Free Patriotic Movement, and the Progressive Socialist Party.

Derian emphasized the need to "strengthen national unity and civil peace in Lebanon." He urged political forces to "accelerate Arab and international initiatives and efforts aimed at Lebanon's recovery and the restoration of its institutions so that the country can regain its former stature." The Grand Mufti also commended the role of the five-nation group in the presidential election issue, which "aligns with local, Arab, and international efforts and represents a significant and essential opportunity to rescue Lebanon from the successive crises it has been enduring."