Why Lebanon Cannot Pick a President

Since President Michel Suleiman left office in May 2014, Lebanon's political blocs have failed 36 times to agree on his replacement. Hezbollah has been active in keeping the parties at loggerheads, refusing to support any presidential candidate who will not fully embrace the group's agenda. On top of Hezbollah's internal objectives, the aims of its chief patron, Iran, are contributing to the organization's intransigence. Although regional dynamics have traditionally influenced Lebanese politics, heightened competition in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and Iran Middle East makes the current political crisis in Lebanon all the more difficult to resolve. ...