Maronite Patriarch al-Rahi urges MPs to attend possible dialogue called for by Berri amid presidential vacuum

Amid the growing presidential void in Lebanon and the fraught political atmosphere, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi urged lawmakers to attend the seven-day dialogue session initiated by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri. The Patriarch emphasized the necessity of engaging in talks "without preconceptions and stripped of personal and sectarian interests."

The call from the Patriarch comes after the main Christian political parties, the Kataeb and Lebanese Forces, rejected Berri's initiative, labeling it unconstitutional. Both parties argue that Parliament should convene for open electoral rounds without any prior roundtable discussions.

Patriarch al-Rahi stressed the urgency of the situation, stating that if the nation's deputies are invited to dialogue, it is crucial that they attend. "Dialogue requires honesty and an acknowledgment of personal mistakes," Rai said.

The Maronite Patriarch's comments hold significant weight in Lebanon, especially after the Kataeb and Lebanese Forces took a stance against the dialogue.