Al-Rahi warns of bid to seize 'Christian posts', urges support for Quint efforts

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday warned of a perceived attempt to take over "Christian state posts," calling on the political parties to cooperate with the efforts of the five-nation group for Lebanon regarding the presidential election file.

"The vacuum, which seems deliberate, is leaving major negative repercussions on the national level, topped by the irregularity of institutions, the administration's disintegration, the violation of laws and norms, and the targeting of Christian, especially Maronite, state posts, in preparation for taking them over, which has started to threaten the formula of partnership and equal powersharing in governance and administration," al-Rahi said in his Sunday Mass sermon.

"Everyone is awaiting the foreign initiatives, which we are grateful for, but these initiatives should not replace the will of the Lebanese and their representatives in parliament," the patriarch added.

"It is lamentable and shameful for the election of a president to remain the captive of bets on foreign forces or on imaginary foreign junctures or developments, and some parliamentary blocs should not remain prisoners of their narrow and wrong bets," al-Rahi went on to say.

He accordingly added that domestic efforts are needed in order to secure the success of foreign initiatives, "topped by the efforts of the five-nation committee for Lebanon."

The Quintet "has resumed its efforts related to the presidential juncture this week and we wish them success through the cooperation of parliament," al-Rahi said.

He added that parliament "remains the first and only side responsible for finalizing this juncture and putting an end to the incorrect, unfamiliar and rogue political situation in Lebanon."