In four days, Mrs Mary Robinson steps down as President of Ireland and moves to take up her new appointment at the United Nations, based in Geneva. Until a successor is appointed - either by election of the people or nominated by agreement among the parties in Dail Eireann - the presidential functions will repose with a Commission under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice.
Overnight, the State will lose its most visible and internationally-respected figure, to be replaced at least for the present by a committee. None of the political parties appears to know what to do about finding a successor and it is anyone's guess who will be the next incumbent of Aras an Uachtarain. A vacuum is thus created. It is not a situation to be desired and while it owes something to the confluence of unforseen events it reflects poorly on the political process. The duty of remedying this rests first and foremost with the Government and particularly with the major partner in coalition, Fianna Fail. Mr Albert Reynolds, rather than the Taoiseach, has made the running so far on Fianna Fail's response. The higher echelons of the party do not want to run Mr Reynolds, but Mr Ahern's response to his predecessor's declared ambitions has been ambiguous and vacillating.
Fine Gael's tactics have been comparably lamentable, resulting in an effective stand-off between Ms Mary Banotti and Ms Avril Doyle. Labour has kept a silence which may indicate profound reflection - or a lack of any idea what to do next. Meanwhile, Mr John Hume, seen by many as the ideal candidate, has been doing the dance of the seven veils. Today, by most accounts, he will reveal his intentions and the shape of the next presidency - or the campaign for it - will become somewhat more clear.
If John Hume decides to be a candidate, it is likely to resolve some difficulties for the parties. But that is the least consideration in whether he ought to stand down as SDLP leader and become President. It has been said, against his candidacy, that he is needed more than ever for the multi-party talks which resume next week at Stormont, and that if he were President it would mark a further dividing line between nationalist and unionist Ireland.
But there are many - including very senior SDLP figures - who believe that the time is right for the party to stand on its own feet, without Mr Hume. Were the party fronted by Mr Seamus Mallon at the talks it would be very well led indeed. There is even an argument that if Mr Hume were out of the talks many unionists would be more encouraged to view them as a real and welcome opportunity for a fresh beginning. And would not Mr Hume as President be ideally placed to promote a climate of awareness and generosity and a desire for rapprochement among the people of this State in their relations with both communities in the North?
John Hume would be an excellent President. Some commentators - among them one or two with a long-standing resentment of Mr Hume - have expressed doubts. And his own prevarication, with leaked comments at intervals, has not helped his case. But he must be in no doubt that of the candidates which have so far been mentioned for the office, he stands well to the fore in the public estimate. It has been said that Mr Hume would be willing to be President if there were no contest and that he would not wish to go through an election. If that is so, it is regrettable. As President by nomination he would be a worthy successor to Mary Robinson. But as President by the vote of the people, his position would be strengthened immeasurably.