BEIRUT: Former President Michel Sleiman returned to his north Lebanon hometown Sunday morning, where he was greeted by thousands of people welcoming him back after serving six years in the presidential palace.
Upon his arrival with his wife, Wafaa, a man lifted Sleiman on his shoulders as church bells tolled and residents threw rice and flowers in celebration of his return.
The streets of Amsheet were flooded with people, while supporters of the former Army general hung banners in support of Sleiman and his photo covered several buildings and balconies.
Several politicians also flocked to Sleiman's residence, where he received well-wishers during a reception commemorating the end of his term.
Sleiman, Lebanon's 12th president, left Baabda Palace on Saturday afternoon, plunging the country into a presidential vacuum as political parties remain in deadlock over a successor.
With no candidate capable of garnering the needed majority to win the presidential seat, and attempts to extent Sleiman's term ending in failure, Lebanon has now entered a presidential void for an undetermined period of time.
Sleiman’s election in 2008 filled a lengthy presidential void during which rival political groups had engaged in heated disputes that lead to armed clashes in the capital.
Sleiman helped form four governments during his six-year term: the Cabinet of former PMs Fouad Siniora, Saad Hariri and Najib Mikati, and Prime Minister Tammam Salam in 2014.
Sitting in his house in Amsheet, journalists began asking Sleiman questions about his farewell speech, which touched on various controversial issues; including expanding both the prerogatives of the president and the national defense strategy.
"Enough. I will not talk about politics today," Sleiman said before he shared a laugh with former Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
During his farewell speech Saturday, Sleiman called for constitutional reforms that would expand the authority of the president.
“The constitutional practices in the past six years revealed constitutional gaps that obstruct political work in the country,” Sleiman said in his farewell address. “The constitutional committee prepared a suggestion to amend the constitution that will be handed to the next president.”
The constitutional amendments Sleiman suggested included, “restoring the right for the executive power to dismantle the Parliament under the initiative of the president [and] giving the president the right to call for an exceptional Cabinet session when needed.”
He also highlighted the need to set a national defense strategy for the country, an issue that he pushed for throughout his tenure.
“I suggested to the National Dialogue Committee a proposal for the defense strategy, and on the eve of May 25, a memory we are proud of, I say it is time to build a national defense strategy because this is an essential gateway to the emergence of the state,” he said.
May 25 marks Liberation Day, when Israel withdrew from south Lebanon in the year 2000, ending its 28-years long occupation of the country.
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