Deriane: Any marginalization or exclusion of Sunnis is unacceptable

BEIRUT — Grand Mufti of Lebanon Abdellatif Derian rejected "any marginalization or exclusion of Sunnis," in a statement on Thursday, calling it "unacceptable" amid municipal elections in Beirut that caused an imbalance in the traditional equal distribution between Christians and Muslims on the city council.

For the first time since 1998, the principle of Christian-Muslim parity was not followed during a Beirut municipal election: 13 of the 24 elected municipal councillors are Muslims (9 Sunnis, 3 Shia, and one Druze), compared to 11 Christians. Since the withdrawal from political life in January 2022 of Saad Hariri, son of the assassinated former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, the Sunni community has struggled to speak with one voice.

"There can be no State in Lebanon without Muslims and Christians in their rights and duties, all communities combined," Deriane said from the Mohammad al-Amine mosque in downtown Beirut during a celebration of the return of pilgrims from Mecca. "Any marginalization or exclusion of Sunni Muslims is unacceptable."

"We oppose it and we are on alert," he emphasized, calling on the authorities to "apply the oath of office speech of President Joseph Aoun and the ministerial declaration," and to address the fate of Beirutis.

"Dar al-Fatwa will maintain its firm positions despite the circumstances," the senior Sunni authority told an audience of local dignitaries and representatives of Beirut families. "Sometimes we are reluctant to raise our voices, but we address the issues concerning our society by other means."

Praising the election of Aoun and the formation of the government led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deriane called for these new political leaders to follow through with their commitments.

"We want the promises of the oath of office speech and the ministerial declaration to be realized," he said. "We want to feel that we, the Lebanese, live in a state of institutions and law."