Berri Surprised by al-Rahi's Strong Rhetoric as Patriarch Warns of Blatant Violation of Constitution
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi warned lawmakers on Sunday from further violating the constitutions as Speaker Nabih Berri expressed surprise over the Patriarch's strong rhetoric over the possible extension of the parliament's tenure.
“Lawmakers should end the blatant violation of the constitution and the infringement of the national pact,” al-Rahi said during a sermon at saint Charbel's Parish in Sydney in Australia.
He called on MPs to “elect a new head of state,” noting that the parliament “should have elected swiftly the only Christian president in the Middle East.”
The Patriarch considered that the president “is the only guarantee for the Muslim-Christian coexistence in Lebanon and the one who is capable of safeguarding the Lebanese formula.”
The country has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May as the rival parties have failed so far to agree on a compromise candidate, which is also threatening to torpedo the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The crises are threatening further vacuum at Lebanese institutions, which could also impact the cabinet.
Speaker Berri voiced surprise over al-Rahi's strong rhetoric in his statements from Australia, wondering if the patriarch considers the presidential vacuum as an attempt to hold a constituent assembly that would reshape the Lebanese political system, then “doesn't vacuum lead to the catastrophic collapse of existing states.”
Berri's visitors said in comments published in the Kuwaiti al-Qabas newspaper on Sunday that the “patriarch's stance will not be ignored and Bkirki will not be boycotted.”
The speaker warned of a constitutional vacuum if the key Christian blocs didn't participate in voting in favor of the parliament's tenure extension.
Berri scheduled a parliamentary session for November 5, which media reports suggested will be used to extend the parliament's term.
The controversial extension of parliament's term has created differences among the parties of the rival March 8 and 14 camps.
The Lebanese Forces and Kataeb Party of the March 14 alliance oppose the extension, while their ally, the Mustaqbal Movement, supports it.
The Free Patriotic Movement of the March 8 camp also rejects the extension.
The term of the current parliament was extended in 2013 over security reasons and the political parties' failure to agree on an electoral law.
A similar extension is set to take place next week to avoid a further vacuum in constitutional institutions, which began with the failure to elect a successor to Suleiman.
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