Vatican Proposes Initiative Concerning Upcoming Presidential Elections
The Vatican tasked Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi with discussing with rival Lebanese parties a new initiative concerning the upcoming Presidential elections, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Wednesday.
According to the daily, al-Rahi's task is to convince the 64 Christian MPs with the importance of guaranteeing the necessary quorum to elect a new President.
President Michel Suleiman's tenure ends in May, 2014.
In September, Suleiman said that he would challenge the extension of his mandate if the parliament took such a move amid soaring political tensions and the failure to form a new government.
The constitutional period to elect a new head of state begins on March 25, two months prior to the expiration of Suleiman’s mandate.
Al-Joumhouria reported that al-Rahi began discussing the Vatican's initiative directly after his return from Rome.
A source at Bkirki described the meetings with Christian MPs as “positive,” pointing out that the Vatican and al-Rahi expressed relief that the lawmakers will agree on their initiative.
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