Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai celebrating Mass in Bkerke on Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo taken from the Facebook page of the Maronite Patriarchate)
For the first time, Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai criticized Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri by name for preventing the presidential election from being held.“Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is responsible for blocking the presidential election because he is closing Parliament, while he is required [as per the Constitution] to open it,” the head of the Maronite Church told Voice of Lebanon over the weekend.In addition to the fact that these remarks came a few days before the two-year anniversary of Lebanon’s presidential vacancy (as Michel Aoun’s term of office expired on Oct. 31, 2022), this is the first time that Rai has lambasted Berri by name and accused him clearly of obstructing the election of a new president, the highest state position reserved for the Maronites. Rai’s accusation came amid a tense time for Berri. While...
For the first time, Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai criticized Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri by name for preventing the presidential election from being held.“Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is responsible for blocking the presidential election because he is closing Parliament, while he is required [as per the Constitution] to open it,” the head of the Maronite Church told Voice of Lebanon over the weekend.In addition to the fact that these remarks came a few days before the two-year anniversary of Lebanon’s presidential vacancy (as Michel Aoun’s term of office expired on Oct. 31, 2022), this is the first time that Rai has lambasted Berri by name and accused him clearly of obstructing the election of a new president, the highest state position reserved for the Maronites. Rai’s accusation came amid a tense time for Berri....
