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POLITICAL CRISIS

Rai calls on caretaker government to be 'cautious'

Rai calls on caretaker government to be 'cautious'

The head of the Maronite church, Bechara al-Rai. (Credit: NNA)

BEIRUT — Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai appealed to the caretaker government to be "cautious" in using its powers in order to ensure national unity and to "prevent some from using … [cabinet] meetings for political and sectarian objectives."

Najib Mikati's caretaker cabinet held a meeting on Monday at the Grand Serail in Beirut, during which it approved social and medical aid in Lebanon despite the boycott of several ministers close to the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).

“There was strong opposition to the cabinet meeting …. This opposition took on a constitutional, political and sectarian dimension, which we feared before it happened,” Rai noted during his Sunday sermon. He also underlined that he had appealed to Mikati to “reconsider the session and postpone it for further consultation, and to determine the powers of a resigned government … in the absence of a president of the republic.”

“Unfortunately, the government held its session with whoever attended and no one opposed that,” Rai added. "This is why we call on the government to be cautious when using its prerogatives, in order to preserve national unity, and prevent some from using such meetings for political and sectarian objectives," the patriarch added, without any further specifications.

The maronite patriarch also insisted that Lebanon needs to turn to the “United Nations and decision-making countries to save Lebanon before it is too late,” after the failure thus far of all internal mechanisms to form a government and elect a president.

Lebanon continues to face a double executive vacuum. Baabda palace remains without a president since Aoun's departure at the end of October, while Prime Minister Najib Mikati's cabinet continues to serve in a caretaker capacity following failed attempts at cabinet formation.

“The best that the government, especially its prime minister, can do is work on the Arab and international levels to speed up the election of a president. This is the solution while the country is deteriorating,” Rai said.

On Friday, Rai met with FPM leader Gebran Bassil, who assured the patriarch that he would continue the dialogue in Lebanon and abroad to find a solution to the country's political crisis.

Rai also met former President Michel Aoun on Friday. "I am not here to talk about the presidential election," Aoun told the press after meeting with Rai. "The national pact is not respected, the constitution and certain rights are not respected either."

Bassil has visited Paris and Doha in recent weeks to discuss the ongoing political crisis. Though the FPM leader has said he considers himself a "natural" presidential candidate, he has never officially announced his candidacy.

Since the beginning of the presidential election period, nine consecutive parliamentary sessions have failed to elect a new head of state. Hezbollah leans toward Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, but Hezbollah's Christian ally the FPM has made it clear the party has no intention of voting for him.

BEIRUT — Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai appealed to the caretaker government to be "cautious" in using its powers in order to ensure national unity and to "prevent some from using … [cabinet] meetings for political and sectarian objectives."Najib Mikati's caretaker cabinet held a meeting on Monday at the Grand Serail in Beirut, during which it approved social and medical aid in Lebanon...