| They've got on fine without one thus far... |
"Local desire to hold the elections is not sufficient to hold them," added the sources.
They cited the recent developments in Ukraine, Arab disputes, and the "U.S. escalation against the Syrian regime" as factors that will affect the presidential elections in Leb.
Some sides are deluded in believing that Leb is independent in electing a president, they continued.
The election of eleven Lebanese presidents over the years, excluding Suleiman Franjieh in 1970, was influenced by foreign powers.
Salam stated on Saturday that his cabinet "does not want to fill a vacuum."
"I have said since the beginning that this cabinet is here for two months only, and it will focus on priorities such as the security situation, the issue of refugees, and the economic and financial situation in the country," he reiterated.
"But our main priority remains reaching consensus over a new parliamentary electoral law and electing a new president," Salam added.
President Michel Suleiman
...before assuming office as President, he held the position of commander of the Leb Armed Forces. That was after the previous commander, the loathesome Emile Lahoud, took office as president in November of 1998. Likely the next president of Leb will be whoever's commander of the armed forces, too...
's six-year term ends in May but the Constitution states that the parliament should choose a new head of state within a two-month period before the end of the incumbent's term, which started on March 25.
Lebanese Forces
A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb...
leader
Samir Geagea... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ...
announced on Friday his candidacy for the presidential elections.
No other official has announced his candidacy, but a front man for the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkirki announced last week that the four main Maronite leaders, Free Patriotic Movement
Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic...
chief MP
Michel Aoun...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah...
, Marada Movement
the personal militia of Suleiman Franjieh, president of Lebanon at the outbreak of the civil war, currently Syrian toadies, but you never know when that could change...
chief Suleiman Franjieh, Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel, and Geagea are all presidential candidates.
Aoun had remarked on Wednesday that he will not run in the elections if the Mustaqbal
... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri...
Movement endorses Geagea's candidacy.