Rai salutes the 'goodwill' of Parliament in extending Joseph Aoun's term

Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai on Sunday saluted the "goodwill" of Lebanese MPs in extending the term of Lebanese Army commander Joseph Aoun, enabling Lebanon to avoid another vacancy in a high-level position at at time when the presidential office is vacant and the government is serving in a caretaker capacity.

On Friday, Lebanon's Parliament extended the term of Aoun and other heads of security forces for a year. Aoun was due to retire on Jan. 10

During Sunday's prayer, Rai thanked "those who enabled Lebanon to avoid the danger of a political and security crisis, through the decision that Parliament took of extending the term of the [Lebanese] army commander and heads of security for a year. The goodwill which transcended personal and categorical gain has shown itself and looked over the higher national interest." 

"We also are praying so that this goodwill of members of Parliament to continue so that they realize that there is no state without a president … Parliament should quickly meet and elect a president of the state because, without his authority, there would be no constitutional institutions," Rai also said.

The Free Patriotic Movement was opposed to the extension of Aoun's term, while Hezbollah abstained from voting by getting out of the session but did not vote against it.

Lebanon has been without a head of state since Oct. 31, 2022, following the end of Michel Aoun's term of office. According to the constitution, Parliament should only meet as an electoral college to choose a new president. However, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has used his jurisprudence to convene Parliament and legislate on so-called urgent matters, according to what he calls "legislation of necessity," a concept criticized by many jurists and politicians as being contrary to the constitution.

Twelve parliamentary sessions have been devoted to the election of a president since September 2022, but all have failed due to a lack of political agreement.