Al-Rahi Warns of Delaying Elections for Personal Gain, Regrets Cabinet Convening ‘Conditionally’

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi warned Sunday against disrupting the elections for “personal and suspicious” goals.

He urged all Lebanese parties to prioritize Lebanon’s interest and to participate in the elections for change not for elimination.

He stressed that the election is "a democratic occasion to hold accountable all those who have caused corruption, have disrupted the institutions, and destructed the state."

"Beware of resorting to disrupting the parliamentary and presidential elections for suspicious private goals,” al-Rahi warned.

He added that disrupting the government, increasing political and media escalation, provoking and using the judiciary to undermine opponents, "is not reassuring neither to the Lebanese nor to Lebanon’s friends."

“Using these pretexts for postponing or canceling the elections would be a clear violation of the constitution,” al-Rahi added.

Th Patriarch emphasized the priority for Cabinet to convene, adding that there is no excuse to disrupt or to fail to call for a session.

He regretted that the Cabinet is only convening “in a conditional session,” and hoped this will pave the way for “continued unconditional sessions.”

“In a democratic system, the executive authority operates according to its powers in the constitution, without any pressure or conditions imposed on it,” al-Rahi said.