“Sisi scenario” for Lebanon “is now almost certain”: report

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Lebanon’s army chief Jean Kahwaji will be appointed by lawmakers as the country’s president, in order to quell widespread public anger over a dysfunctional political system and a presidential vacuum that has now lasted for over a year, according to a report by  Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanon’s army chief Jean Kahwaji will be appointed by lawmakers as the country’s president, in order to quell widespread public anger over a dysfunctional political system and a presidential vacuum that has now lasted for over a year, according to a report by Asharq Al-Awsat

Beirut, Lebanon – Lebanon’s army chief Jean Kahwaji will be appointed by lawmakers as the country’s president, in order to quell widespread public anger over a dysfunctional political system and a presidential vacuum that has now lasted for over a year.

A source from the 14 March Alliance—a coalition of political parties led by Saad Hariri, the son of former prime minister Rafik Hariri—told Asharq Al-Awsat a “Sisi scenario” for Lebanon was now “almost certain” in light of the recent protests that have rocked the country.

Speaking in reference to former Egyptian army chief and current President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the source said MPs have agreed to elect head of the army Kahwaji as president of the country before parliamentary elections are held and a new government is appointed.

The source added that the idea was proposed by Lebanese MPs and “international sides” in recent months during negotiations between Iran and world powers over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran, through Shi’ite group Hezbollah, holds considerable influence over Lebanese politics.

Thousands of Lebanese have taken to the streets of Beirut and elsewhere in the country in recent weeks to protest a mounting garbage crisis in the capital. Piles of refuse have accumulated throughout Beirut since the beginning of the summer after the government closed the city’s main landfill site without proposing alternatives for waste collection.

The protesters say the crisis is symptomatic of a failed government and political system, with Lebanon blighted by poor public services and facing a presidential vacuum that has now lasted for a year and four months.

Lebanon’s political system is dominated by sectarian groups such as the Shi’ite Hezbollah and Christian Kataeb (Phalangist) Party. Official posts are divided up between different confessional groups, with the presidency traditionally held by a Christian and the prime minister and parliament speaker posts going to a Sunni and a Shi’ite Muslim respectively.

However, political deadlock has prevented the election of a new president, with lawmakers unable to agree on a candidate. According to Lebanon’s constitution, the public vote in parliamentary elections but only elected MPs can appoint the country’s president.

Several candidates have been touted for the position. They include Kahwaji, head of the Lebanese Forces Party Samir Geagea, and former army chief Michel Aoun.

The source said lawmakers plan to appoint Aoun’s son-in-law Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz as head of the army in Kahwaji’s place in order to placate Aoun and leave the way open for Kahwaji. Aoun has been lobbying MPs for months to replace Kahwaji with Roukoz but has refused to back down from his bid for the presidency.

Meanwhile, a source close to Prime Minister Tammam Salam said the latter would not acquiesce to protesters’ demands to sack Environment Minister Mohamed Mashnouq over the garbage crisis.

“The environment minister will not resign under pressure and will not become a scapegoat for a thorny issue that has been around for decades,” the source said.

Asharq Al-Awsat

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34 responses to ““Sisi scenario” for Lebanon “is now almost certain”: report”

  1. Michaelinlondon1234 Avatar
    Michaelinlondon1234

    So the west Israel and Harrari have decided after all…..Good dump your rubbish at the US, UK and French embassies.They can deal with it since they want control.

    1. MekensehParty Avatar
      MekensehParty

      They’re hiring garbage men to do just that
      Send your resume you’ll be hired in a second

      1. He will be hired in a second since he will be removing garbage like you… 😉

      2. Michaelinlondon1234 Avatar
        Michaelinlondon1234

        I am quite happy for the Embassies to wallow in their own sh..te

  2. How pathetic. The “sisi scenario”.??? Sisi took power in a coup. Then Sisi was elected by the people. Both so called scenarios will not be happening in lebanon. With all due respect ya libnan please give us articles that lack credibility and make some sort of sense. The whole article lacks any legitamcy and the source is so ambiguous you could get it from anyone. I have source that states the capture of assir will force changes to start happening in the government because mustaqbal and Hariri clan are worried about what he may say so to keep things hush hush changes will start happening???? Will you print that?

    1. nagy_michael2 Avatar
      nagy_michael2

      Did your sources ever told who killed Rafiq Al Hariri, wissam al hussan, and many great many innocent people that went down with them? your sources must be Al Akhabar i suppose..
      hezbollah been wanting Kahwaji for a long time now. Aoun was never on their minds and they know very well that Aoun will not be accepted by the other sides and not even Berri who despises him. so this scenario might become reality and it is very possible that Roukez becomes the army chief. this way they will appease Aoun a little and shut M14’s because they will tell them Geagea is not acceptable either.
      at least least we will have a President..better than nothing and it will open up the roads for France to keep the weapons flowing and other aids that got stopped because we don’t have president. Kahwaji been Hezbollah favorite because he reasons with them and coordinate things with them. so why not?

      1. The country is FUBAR one way or another… The “you stink” movement which represents the majority of Lebanon is caught between the hammer (HA) and the anvil (Sunnis)… Both sides are no longer legit. Hezbollah works for Iran and the Sunnis work for Saudis. The Christians are pathetically feudal and do not deserve the sacrifices of those who defended the nation from Palestinian hegemony. The army, despite the fact that people try to believe it is neutral, will split in a jiffy.
        Best scenario is the federal system… every sect to its own.

        1. Know where your coming from but federal system? Where and how? See all these politicians have their fingers in assets in lebanon? The country is too small. Plus believe or not their are a lot of inter faith marriages in lebanon. People wouldn’t accept it. What we can best hope for is the new people coming through now can form a proper political party void of sectarianism and feudalism and be purely political. They will then become the deciding vote. But it’s getting this generation to steer away from the old school of thought. ????

          1. I just wish… I am aching to come back and live there… After they remove the garbage (street and politician) 😉

          2. Well my brother did. 3 years ago. Hes happy. Took his family back there. Depends on your means to live I guess. Beauty of lebanon is you can always escape the stench!!!

          3. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            Eh itch where you’re aching ;))))
            How about you take that Mekenseh and go do your part of the cleaning?
            Or is it: clean all the shit and I come back?
            Typical Hani

          4. I am standing in line behind you… waiting for you to start. 😛

          5. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            I’m not aching to go back anywhere…

          6. cook2half Avatar

            You prefer New Jersey.

          7. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            I’m jealous Hani is from Camden yek yek yek

          8. cook2half Avatar

            Camden is a borough in London, but I’m guessing this is another one. I’m guessing he’s some rich Arab living in LA lol

          9. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            Camden NJ look it up

          10. cook2half Avatar

            Ew looks horrible lol

          11. we all now that since your yankee ass is too white for Lebanon… 😛

          12. Reasonableman Avatar
            Reasonableman

            Too good for lebanon now?

          13. When it is filled with garbage like you of course.

        2. Wow you make sense when you quit your old man jokes. As for datem, you are wasting your time reasoning with a shite

      2. I was making fun of the article “sisi scenario”. Relax. And if you want to go there wel be lucky in our lifetime to know who killed anyone in lebanon. But trust me the capture of assir will get things moving.

        1. Assir is a nobody… He just dared to stand against HA became overnight celebrity in his medium and disappeared overnight. The Sunnis will welcome ISIS with open arms since to them a sunni devil is much better than a shiite one. It is a fact that since they are a majority in the Levant (and if foreign powers won’t intercede on behalf of Assad) they will take Damascus and then Beirut in a blink of an eye.

          1. Well time will tell. To now lebanon is the only country that has gone on the offensive against them and stopped them. But just like assir is a nobody isis to was created and could easily be disolved. Let’s not be delusional they have been supported “up market style” if you know what I mean???

          2. Being supported “up market style” doesn’t seem to bother you when your beloved terrorists are supported “up market style” you shite hypocrite.

          3. Yeh up market style. Let’s see. Baghdadi the self proclaimed caliphe gets out of an iraqi prison in 2009? Yet within 2 years he’s formed all this???

          4. Reasonableman Avatar
            Reasonableman

            All petty fueds aside, feed me some context. You say sunnis will accept isis merely because they are sunni? Are you out of your mind?!?! Or do you like to push the narrative, sunnis don’t do enough to cause strife?? And then insert your faux patriosm (since you are phoenician ) with a little bit of biblical texts playing saviour

          5. I never said I am Phoenician… I wish I were. I tested my DNA and stick to science and proof.

        2. nagy_michael2 Avatar
          nagy_michael2

          dateam you are always so serious and when i responded to your post i was just having my coffee. lol.. ok bro no hard feelings.. But the capture of Assir will not do anything because if he was either with Al Nusra or ISIS he would been among them now. he was going to Nigeria for God’s sake. I don’t think Boko Haram will like him because he is moderate compared to them.

          1. All good. Your right about assir he was nowhere near isis or nusra. He was on the local level. A wannabe. But still he would have a lot of interesting things to say.

    2. MekensehParty Avatar
      MekensehParty

      Lol and this is not a coup?
      Can you explain to me the free and democratic process that brings qahwaji to the presidency? That names the head of the army in a transparent way?
      It is a sisi scenario where the head of the army is NAMED president and screw democracy.

  3. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    It’s official, they’re scared shitless
    To stall for a year and in one week of protests they find the “magical” formula, it means they felt the heat on the chairs they’re occupying.
    Will the people understand they are much stronger than theses peons?
    Inshallah…

    1. oh you believe in Allah now? What happened?

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