Al-Rahi calls on MPs to stop awaiting foreign instructions on president election

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday stressed that the country’s new president should enjoy the “confidence” of the people and the world.

“Without confidence in the ruler, he cannot continue in power, seeing as confidence is the source of the ruler’s strength,” al-Rahi said in his Easter Mass sermon.

“The Lebanese need such a president for their republic, so that he can lead the mission of rising from the collapse on every level,” the patriarch added.

“Confidence in him does not come suddenly and he cannot win it through the promises and the conditions that are imposed on him, nor through succeeding in the tests carried out with him by the influential domestic and foreign powers,” al-Rahi went on to say.

The patriarch accordingly called on the country’s lawmakers to “quickly elect a president, end their confusion and stop awaiting for (foreign) instructions.”

“Stop destroying the state institutionally, economically and financially. Stop impoverishing and humiliating the people and stop leaving the country’s land violable to every outlander and to those tampering with its security and sovereignty,” al-Rahi added.