Maronite Church leader Bechara al-Rai at mass on July 16, 2023. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai on Sunday criticized what he described as "submission to personal and sectarian interests" that are blocking the country's presidential election.
Lebanon has had no president since Michel Aoun's six-year term ended on Oct. 31 with no successor in place. Amid political deadlock over candidates, Parliament has failed to elect a new president despite have held 12 sessions so far to vote for one.
Rai's comments on Sunday came just one day ahead of a scheduled meeting between representatives of France, the US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt in Doha to discuss Lebanon.
The so-called Group of Five previously met in France on Feb. 6. This second meeting comes weeks after French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian visited Beirut to sound out the various political parties and map a way out of the presidential impasse.
"Everyone in Lebanon and abroad is complaining about political, financial, administrative, commercial and moral corruption, which is reaching the point of indecency," Rai said on Sunday, during his weekly sermon.
He went on to criticize "personal and sectarian interests, and even the blocking of the presidential election and the destruction of constitutional institutions."
Geagea attacks Hezbollah and Amal Movement
In a homily delivered on Saturday in Baakafra to mark the feast of Saint Charbel, Rai said that "if politicians lack spiritual and ethical values, public life in Lebanon will not be able to recover." Politicians "will not be able to elect a President of the Republic or restore the life of constitutional institutions."
Rai also spoke on Saturday with Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea on the subject of the presidential vacancy. "Let them stop waiting and resorting to France, going to Qatar and Cairo ... There is only one simple, natural, logical and constitutional solution: for MPs to elect a president," Rai said, according to a statement published in the state-run National News Agency.
During the Saturday meeting, Geagea reportedly criticized Hezbollah and Amal MPs for withdrawing from the latest parliamentary voting session on June 14 before a second round of ballots could be cast — a move that critics say is intended to hold the election at a standstill. "If the moumanaa camp [Hezbollah and its allies] had not withdrawn from the June 14 election session, Lebanon would have a president today," Geagea, a staunch opponent of Hezbollah, was quoted as saying.
Finally, Geagea called on Parliament "to hold successive electoral rounds until a president is elected."
Hezbollah supports the candidacy of Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh and has called for dialogue to break the deadlock, though has refused to discuss different candidates.
Opponents of Hezbollah support the candidacy of former minister and current IMF top official Jihad Azour, while refusing to hold discussions on the matter with Hezbollah.
At June 14's voting session, Jihad Azour garnered 59 votes against Frangieh’s 51 votes.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has not yet set a date for the next voting session.