Senior Christian Cleric and Hezbollah Critic: The Constitution Was 'Ruthlessly' Violated

Senior Christian cleric in Lebanon, Bishop Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi, stated on Sunday that the constitution and democratic structure of the country were 'ruthlessly' violated during the unsuccessful attempt to elect a new president last week. He warned that divisions in the country have deepened. The Shiite group Hezbollah, supported by the Islamic Republic, along with its closest allies, obstructed the efforts of various factions, including major Christian parties, to elect a new president. According to Reuters, Bishop Al-Rahi made this statement in his first sermon following Hezbollah's actions and those of its allies. Lebanese Christian parties attempted to elect Jihad Azour, an International Monetary Fund official, as the new president last Wednesday. This marked the twelfth time that the Lebanese parliament failed to elect a president. The senior Christian cleric, who is a critic of the armed group Hezbollah, referred to the parliamentary session on Wednesday as a 'farce.' He had previously criticized Hezbollah, including in 2021, following rocket attacks on Israel. The election of presidential, prime ministerial, and parliamentary leadership positions in Lebanon is along sectarian lines, and last week's parliamentary deadlock also followed these sectarian divisions. Christian parties supporting Jihad Azour, the former Lebanese finance minister and current IMF Middle East director, faced opposition from the two Shiite factions, Hezbollah and Amal. The senior Christian cleric stated that as the country has been in a financial crisis since 2019 and needs unity, the 'wound' of division has deepened. According to Reuters, Mr. Azour received 59 votes from 128 lawmakers, which was less than the 86 votes needed to win in the first round of voting. Suleiman Frangieh, a Christian politician backed by Hezbollah, received 51 votes. After Hezbollah and its allies left the parliament, Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the House and an ally of that group, ended the parliamentary session. With this exit, the parliament did not reach a quorum for the second round of voting. In the second round, a candidate needs 65 votes to win the presidency. Hezbollah and its allies labeled Jihad Azour as a person seeking confrontation. The Shiite Mufti of Lebanon, without naming Mr. Azour, accused him of being supported by Israel. Some lawmakers supporting Jihad Azour called for a recount of the votes or a re-vote after it became clear that a ballot was missing. However, Nabih Berri refused, stating that it would not change the outcome. The International Monetary Fund warned about the 'deep crisis' of the Lebanese economy.