Syriac Maronite Patriarch urges Lebanese Parliament to fulfill constitutional duty in electing president

BEIRUT — Syriac Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai has reiterated his appeal to Lebanese Parliament, urging members to prioritize their fundamental constitutional responsibility by holding successive sessions to elect a new President of the Republic before addressing any other legislative matters.

Presiding over the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Edifice, Patriarch al-Rai emphasized that, as outlined in the Constitution, the Parliament’s role is to convene successive sessions for the purpose of electing the President of the Republic when a consensus on a candidate cannot be reached.

Al-Rai affirmed the availability and competency of various candidates, expressing his firm opposition to tying the presidential election to any specific individual, group, party, or project.

He underscored his disapproval of allowing the country to remain without a president while constitutional and public institutions crumble, the people grapple with poverty, and valuable talents migrate to other nations.