Syria crisis impacts Lebanese presidential election: Nabil Mikhail

Crisis in Syria is regarded as a decisive element in the course of the presidential election in Lebanon, a political analyst tells Press TV.

In a Friday interview, Nabil Mikhail, a professor at George Washington University, said the Lebanese political arena is very much influenced by the Arab-Israeli conflict and since Syria is considered a major resistance frontline, the ongoing crisis in the country has affected the political developments in Lebanon.

“It is basically the Syrian crisis as it impacts the Arab-Israeli conflict and as it impacts the sensitive, political and demographic balance in Lebanon as well,” the analyst said.

Lebanon’s parliament failed for a fourth time to elect a new president for the country on Thursday.

Mikhail said that due to Syria’s importance for Lebanon, the future Lebanese president must be fully aware of the geopolitical dangers of the crisis and he should be capable of handling a wide range of sensitive issues, including the Syrian refugees and shipment of arms from the Lebanese soil into Syria.

Following the failure of Lebanon parliament, the divided lawmakers are set to make yet another effort to choose the president in a week’s time.

Local politicians say they expect disagreements over President Michel Sleiman’s replacement to drag on for months after he officially leaves office.

Any presidential candidate would have to receive the backing of two main political blocs – March 8 alliance and the rival March 14 coalition – to win the necessary majority from the 128 members of parliament.

The Thursday vote in Lebanon parliament was called off after pro-Western March 8 deputies boycotted the session, leaving it without the two-thirds quorum needed to move ahead.