Sfeir: “Stability or chaos”

 

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, from whose Maronite community Lebanese presidents are drawn, called on Sunday for politicians to agree on a new head of state in order to avoid chaos. “We are now in an interim period which may lead us to stability, or to chaos and confrontation,” Sfeir said in his Sunday sermon at Notre Dame Church in Bkirki.

 

“Therefore, everybody – especially those responsible for brokering an agreement – is asked to show seriousness and honest patriotism,” he said.

 

Earlier on Sunday, Hizbullah”s number two, Sheikh Naim Qassem, criticized the decision of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora”s government to take over presidential authority until the office has been filled .

 

“This government is illegitimate and unconstitutional. It doesn”t exist, so it can”t rule and it can”t exercise the

role of the presidency,” Qassem said.

 

Former President Emile Lahoud left office at the end of his term at midnight on Friday after Parliament failed to elect his successor amid a long-running deadlock between the ruling majority and the opposition.

 

Although politicians have vowed to reach an agreement over a consensus president by a parliamentary session set for next Friday, there has been no tangible progress to date.