Maronite Patriarch Bechara Raï called on Lebanese political leaders on Sunday “to exercise their faith” and “to invoke God” to allow the election of a new head of state, saying during his Sunday homily in Bkirké , that he blesses each step taken towards an agreement between the different parties.
This appeal was launched as the opposition parties agreed on a common candidate, the head of the Middle East and Central Asia department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Jihad Azour, facing the candidacy of the leader of the current of Marada, Sleiman Frangié, supported by the Shiite tandem Hezbollah and Amal.
“If the Lebanese leaders had invoked God, they would have elected a President of the Republic two months before the end of Aoun’s mandate, in accordance with article 73 of the Constitution,” Bishop Raï said. “If they call on God today, eight months after the start of the presidential vacancy, and at a time when the country is facing political, economic, financial and social collapse, they will quickly agree on the election of a president,” he added. “We bless every step in this direction”, added the prelate, who considered that the election should not lead to the division of the components of the country between “winner and defeated”.
Lebanon has been without a President of the Republic since the end of Michel Aoun’s mandate on October 31. Parliament has met 11 times since September 2022 and has never succeeded in electing a new head of state, for lack of political agreement, as is customary in Lebanon.
The head of the Free Patriotic Movement (CPL, aouniste) Gebran Bassil announced, on Saturday evening, an agreement between his party and other parliamentary groups regarding their support for a candidacy of Jihad Azour. Separate press releases from the other formations concerned are also expected.
On Sunday, the Maronite patriarch called on politicians “to exercise their faith and put their political work at the service of the general interest”, to get the country out of the impasse. “Invoking God will allow them to come out of their selfishness and overcome conflicts. He will allow them to assume their responsibilities in the destruction of the State, the paralysis of its constitutional institutions, the breathlessness of public administration, or even the impoverishment and humiliation of the people and their emigration,” said Patriarch Raï.
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Raï called on Lebanese political leaders on Sunday “to exercise their faith” and “to invoke God” to allow the election of a new head of state, saying during his Sunday homily in Bkirké , that he blesses every step taken towards an agreement between the different parties. This appeal was launched while the opposition parties…