The Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut, Elias Audi. (Credit: NNA)
Beirut Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi on Sunday said that it is embarrassing that Lebanese MPs are helpless and unable to elect a president to replace Michel Aoun, whose term in office ended on Oct, 31, 2023.
"It is embarrassing that the Lebanese are feeling that their MPs are helpless and are waiting for foreign assistance," Audi said during the Orthodox easter prayer.
Audi said that the country needs "MPs who do their duties away from their personal interest." He indicated that the first of these responsibilities is to meet "within constitutional deadlines and elect a president."
"It has been almost two years of exceeding the deadline; they did not fulfil their duties as if some [of them] like the vacancy and have given up on the duties of electing a president," Audi continued. "We see them meet when they have interest, so why don't they elect a president and apply the constitution, which should be the only reference?" he asked.
Presidential vacancies are not uncommon in Lebanon, and without any deadline they may extend indefinitely. Parliament has failed to elect a president due to its inability to reach sufficient agreement on a candidate. According to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Parliament needs a quorum of two-thirds to convene to elect a president and a candidate needs a two-thirds majority in the first round of voting to be deemed elected. To date, any parliamentary session convened for the purpose of electing a president has failed to return the necessary majority on a first round vote and has not proceeded to a second round vote (in which a simple majority is needed to be elected) due to MPs leaving following the first vote, leading to a collapse of quorum. Berri has treated each electoral session as a separate meeting, opening with first-round vote each time, rather than keeping the session open and reconvening in a context that would elect a president with a simple majority. Some opposition MPs claim Berri's approach is unconstitutional.
According to the constitution, Parliament becomes an electoral body in the absence of the president; however, it has been meeting sometimes to legislate urgent laws, a move to which some opposition parties also object.