Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, the most prominent Maronite Christian priest in Lebanon, harshly denounced the unsuccessful attempt to elect a new president last week, saying the country's democratic system had been violated purposely. In his first sermon after the tragedy, Rai warned that the country's divides had grown as a result of the inability to elect a new president.
An attempt by many groups to nominate Jihad Azour, the IMF's Middle East director and former finance minister, including the major Christian parties as president, was stopped by the Iran-backed Shia organization Hezbollah and its closest allies.
Political Tensions Flare in Lebanon Over Failed Presidential Election
According to the article in the New Arab, the Lebanese parliament's most recent failure was the country's eleventh attempt to elect a new president that failed. The Hezbollah-aligned Michel Aoun's term ended in October, leaving this office empty, and it is designated for a Maronite Christian under Lebanon's sectarian structure.
The recent legislative session was described as a "farce" by patriarch Rai, who has frequently demanded an end to the political void and has been a prominent critic of the heavily armed Hezbollah. He had already expressed his displeasure with Hezbollah when the organization fired rockets at Israel in 2021. The impasse has deepened sectarian rifts within the country, with Christian parties supporting Azour's presidency while Shia factions Hezbollah and Amal stand against him.
Jihad Azour, the Middle East director for the IMF and a former finance minister, received votes from 59 of the 128 MPs in the first round of voting, falling shy of the 86 required for a first-round victory. Suleiman Frangieh, a Christian running mate endorsed by Hezbollah, received 51 votes. According to the article in Iran International, after legislators from Hezbollah and its supporters withdrew, preventing a second round where a simple majority of 65 votes would be necessary for a win, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, adjourned the meeting.
In his sermon on Sunday, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Audi added his voice to the criticism. Hezbollah and its allies were not specifically mentioned, but he implied that those who withdrew appeared to be "uninterested" in Lebanon's well-being.
Following the discovery of a missing ballot amid the debate, some parliamentarians who backed Azour called for a recount or a fresh election. These demands were denied by Berri, who claimed they would not change the decision. Azour has received harsh criticism from Hezbollah and its backers, who have painted him as a combative contender. The tension preceding the election increased when Lebanon's Shia mufti accused Azour of receiving support from Israel without specifically naming Azour.
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MP Ghada Ayyoub Challenges Unconstitutional Budget Approvals
According to the article in Arab News, in an unexpected development, MP Ghada Ayyoub has expressed her shock at the parliamentary acceptance of new appropriations for a budget that, in her words, "does not even exist." Her remarks come amid mounting concern over the constitutionality of the budget approval process.
Ayyoub expressed doubts about the viability of the parliament accepting extra funds for a budget that, in her opinion, had yet to be discussed in the Cabinet, meaning that it did not exist. She continued by raising concerns about the finance minister's actions and accusing him of failing to uphold the law and his constitutional obligations by failing to bring up the budget issue with the government.
Ayyoub encouraged her fellow lawmakers to act legally to ensure that all public sector workers receive their rights without fraud or deception. She called for accountability and correction. She pleaded with the audience as she concluded that it is enough on the exploitation of people's rights.
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