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Saudi Arabia seems intent on letting the Lebanese decide on their political future. As such, Riyadh is not posing any veto nor endorsing any presidential candidate.
The Saudis believe that the Lebanese must have learned the lessons of the past, and should therefore act in their best interest and acknowledge the best course of action to follow. Them, and only them, are in a position to pick a suitable head of state and Prime Minister.
The main Lebanese stakeholders who met with Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari in Beirut have fully grasped that Riyadh wants Lebanon to elect a president as quickly as possible. This goes in line with the recommendations of the international community, which could potentially impose sanctions on anyone trying to obstruct the poll. A stable and prosperous Lebanon is of paramount importance to Riyadh, as the prevailing chaos could have detrimental political and social repercussions across the region.
Moreover, it has become crystal clear that Riyadh has ceased to dispense its free of charge services and funds to the region. To that end, its support for a Lebanon which is on the brink of total collapse is no longer cost-free. The bountiful donations belong to the good old days. Saudi Arabia is nowadays only interested in a Lebanon that could generate lucrative investments. Regardless of whether or not an agreement is signed with the International Monetary Fund, the fact remains that Riyadh requires, above all, security and political stability, an independent judicial system, and finally an effective and serious commitment to fight corruption within state institutions.
As such, it appears that Riyadh has learned from its experiences in Lebanon, and has therefore opted to let the Lebanese politicians and leaders make their own choices regarding the future of their country. If they happen to assume adequate political responsibility, they will make the appropriate decision.
On the other hand, those who favor chaos and violence, and those driven by demagogy, and are power hungry, would risk steering the country into further collapse, and ultimately total isolation. Unfortunately, this seems to be the winning scenario considering the past events.
Today, the ones who are wielding power have made it patently clear that they are unwilling to change their practices. They have gone as far as adopting a diehard policy that includes total disregard for their people, the neighboring countries and beyond. Riyadh, which has already paid the price for such abusive methods, has fully understood that some things cannot be changed.
