Berri Sets January 9 for Election... A Glimmer of Hope to End Presidential Vacuum
Timing of presidential election call with ceasefire indicates attempt to leverage regional conditions to resolve political crisis
November 28, 2024, 9:18 pm

Berri Sets January 9 for Election... A Glimmer of Hope to End Presidential Vacuum

نبيه بري

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri initiated a new political move on Thursday by officially calling for a session to elect a president on January 9, according to the official National News Agency.

The agency broadcasted a statement saying "Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for a parliamentary session to elect a president on January 9," in an attempt to overcome two years of presidential vacancy due to lack of consensus among political blocs.

The Lebanese parliament has struggled to elect a successor to former President Michel Aoun since the end of his term in October 2022, with 12 previous election attempts failing as no party holds a sufficient parliamentary majority.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed optimism in a speech on Wednesday, hoping that the truce would mark "a new page in Lebanon leading to the election of a president."

Hezbollah's Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in his last statement before the ceasefire took effect, emphasized his party's readiness to make an "effective contribution to electing a president through parliament in a constitutional manner."

Lebanese political traditions allocate the presidency to the Maronite community, while the Sunni community holds the prime ministry, and the Shiite community holds the parliament speaker position.

Levant-Agencies

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”