Al-Rahi: Political Powers Must Tackle Real Reasons for Presidential Elections Failure
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi condemned the ongoing vacuum in the presidency and the political powers' failure to resolve disputes hindering the elections, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.
He said: “It is time for the concerned political powers to responsibly and bravely tackle the real reasons that are preventing the completion of quorum at parliament.”
Numerous electoral sessions have been scheduled and none but one were held due to the lack of needed quorum at parliament.
“We have reached an unacceptable stage in Lebanon whereby we are witnessing the fragmentation of the components of the state,” continued al-Rahi.
“It is as if this fragmentation is programmed, starting with the presidency, passing through the parliament and leading to the cabinet and all other public institutions,” he lamented.
Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.
Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps have thwarted the elections.
Hizbullah announced earlier this year that it would boycott electoral sessions unless it receives guarantees that its candidate, Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun, is elected head of state.
This stance has been heavily criticized by various members of the March 14 coalition and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, who blame Hizbullah and its main backer Iran of obstructing the polls.
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