Al-Rahi Returns from Rome: Officials Would Be Violating Constitution by Extending Parliament's Term
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi reiterated on Tuesday his rejection of the proposed extension of parliament's term, noting that it would violate the constitution and the will of the people.
He said upon his return from Rome: “I told Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri that he would be violating the constitution by seeking the extension.”
“Hariri wanted to explain that the failure to elect a president in a timely manner and the need to hold the parliamentary elections and avoid vacuum is forcing us to extend parliament's term,” he revealed.
“I informed him that I do not intervene in such affairs because we still oppose the extension,” added the patriarch from Rafik Hariri International Airport.
“I asked Hariri: 'What more would it take for lawmakers to elect a new president after seven months of vacuum?'” he stated.
Seeing as the MPs will head to parliament to extend its term, “why don't they dignify us by electing a president?” wondered al-Rahi.
“I will not bless the extension or the violation of the constitution,” he declared.
Hariri had held talks last week with al-Rahi in Rome.
The two officials discussed the presidential and parliamentary elections.
“The priority in the country is the election of a new president and we as political forces must make initiatives and elect a president who enjoys everyone's approval,” said the former premier after the closed-door talks.
“This does not mean that we support extending the parliament's term and forgetting about the presidency, as we see the extension as a necessity aimed at avoiding the unknown,” he explained.
Media reports said over the weekend that Hariri pledged to al-Rahi to exert efforts to hold the presidential elections after extending parliament's term.
The country plunged into a political vacuum as president Michel Suleiman's term ended on May 25 and the rival political forces have so far failed to elect a successor despite having held more than a dozen electoral sessions.
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