'We are open to dialogue' to elect a president, asserts Hezbollah MP

Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah stated on Thursday that the party is “open to dialogue” for electing a president in Lebanon, as the Parliament's president has set an open electoral session for Jan. 9.

“We approach this deadline with complete understanding between Hezbollah and the Amal movement, so we may have a president who can cooperate with everyone,” said Fadlallah, according to comments relayed by the National News Agency (NNA). “We are against isolating any party,” he continued, assuring that his organization is “open to discussions, dialogue, and cooperation with those who want to cooperate.”

“Hezbollah wants, during the electoral session of Jan. 9, to elect a President of the Republic,” he said, noting that this requires “agreements between the main parliamentary blocs on common denominators.”

“We have constitutional texts regulating the quorum necessary for the session and the election of a president. The Constitution is clear and does not require much discussion on how the president will be elected and who can be the President of the Republic,” he added.

Fadlallah said that “the most important quality of the President of the Republic is to be a true sovereign and to face any aggression against sovereignty, especially from the Israeli enemy,” hoping to elect a successor to Michel Aoun, whose term ended on Oct. 31, 2022, next week. “Our presence, our strength, and our existence in the internal equation stem from the will of our people,” he concluded.

Just days before the presidential election, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan is expected in Beirut at the beginning of January, a first since 2015, following the deterioration of relations between Beirut and Riyadh linked to the multifaceted influence that Hezbollah exerted on Lebanese politics.