Lebanon has been languishing without a president for seven months. This vacuum has deepened the political crisis in the country, severely hamstrung efforts to secure an economic revival and sapped the state of an important symbol of legitimacy. Lebanon cannot afford for it to go on any longer.

The Lebanese American Coordinating Committee (LACC), representing a coalition of eight Lebanese American grassroots organizations, is watching the upcoming parliamentary session on June 14 with great interest and concern.

The United States, through the Department of State and Congress, has already called on the Speaker of Parliament to move quickly to elect a unifying president that can lead Lebanon through economic reforms, and called on Lebanon’s leaders not to put their personal interests above those of their country.

It is time to robustly reiterate this message. We appeal to the United States, regional Arab states and the broader international community to use their diplomatic prerogatives to:

urge the Speaker of Parliament to fulfill his constitutional duties by keeping the electoral session open until a president is elected and rejecting any attempts to obstruct the session; and

to press members of parliament to recognize the urgency of the matter and act accordingly by attending any and all upcoming sessions and voting with a name, not a blank ballot.

The Lebanese people hope that the upcoming session will seal the end of this period of vacuum, securing a president who will faithfully serve them and preserve the sovereignty and unity of their country.

LACC Member Organizations:

– American Lebanese Policy Institute (ALPI-PAC)

– Assembly for Lebanon (AFL)

– Lebanese American Renaissance   Partnership (LARP)

— Lebanese for Lebanon Foundation (LFLF)

– Lebanese Information Center (LIC)

– Our New Lebanon (ONL)

– Shields of United Lebanon (SOUL)

– World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU)

Lebanese Advisory Organizations:

– Civic Influence Hub (CIH)

US Advisory Committee:

– Thomas Abraham

– Abbas Dahouk, Col.(Ret.) US Army

– Hanin Ghaddar

– Wajih Kanso, Ph.D

– Philip Salem, M.D.

– Stephen Stanton, Barrister