The head of the Maronite Church, Bechara Rai, stated on Sunday that the inaugural speech of the new president and former commander of the Lebanese army, General Joseph Aoun, presented a "new national vision."

The monopoly of arms in the hands of the state, independence of the judiciary, a policy of positive neutrality ... Joseph Aoun's oath of office, delivered just minutes after his election on Thursday with 99 votes out of 128, was warmly applauded several times by parliamentarians.

In his Sunday homily, Rai praised Aoun's remarks, stating that he presented a "new national vision based on the establishment of a state of institutions and justice founded on the Constitution and solidarity in the face of adversity because the fall of one of us means the fall of all of us."

"The speech emphasized the need to modify political governance and strengthen the rule of law," he said.

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He also welcomed other points in the speech, notably that there will be "no immunity for the corrupt or criminals, but rather a fight against drug smuggling and money laundering."

He also expressed approval for the reform points raised by the new head of state, particularly "cooperation with the new government, with the president being a partner rather than an adversary to pass the law on the independence of the judiciary; the confirmation of the state's exclusive right to possess arms; investing in the army to control and stabilize the borders; and the reconstruction of what Israel destroyed in the South, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Beqaa."

Rai lastly praised the president's promise "to invest in our foreign relations, not to rely on foreign intimidation, and to practice a positive neutrality."

Audi: 'New approach to governance'

The Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut, Bishop Elias Audi, hoped that President Aoun "will implement a new approach to governance based on integrity, transparency, responsibility, and efficiency, by moving Lebanon away from the politics of axes, by respecting the laws and applying them to all."

"We hope that he will be able to implement everything he promised in his speech and build, with his government, a modern, just and strong state that ... imposes its influence on all, restores the prestige of the judiciary ... and the sanctity of the Constitution, so that some who claim sovereignty and interest in the Constitution no longer have the right to set themselves up as its protectors after having ignored it, circumvented it, distorted it and committed illegalities against it," he added.