Political developments are evolving against a backdrop of various issues ranging from economic to governmental matters, including the ongoing case of Bishop Musa al-Hajj. These threads are interconnected in the context of the presidential elections, the tug-of-war over names, and early pressures being exerted. Political sources linked the ongoing events to the speech of Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, in which he outlined the qualifications for the upcoming president, focusing on contentious political points such as sovereignty, the monopoly of arms by the state, and the authority over matters of peace and war.
Messages regarding the presidency are being sent in all directions, including remarks made by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, yesterday. MP Razi al-Haj, from the "Strong Republic" bloc, stated in an interview with the "Anbaa" electronic newspaper that "there are those who are jeopardizing civil peace and handling sensitive files in a manner unbefitting of a judge or the military institution," demanding "the referral of Judge Akiki to judicial inspection and for him to be removed from the military court, as it is unacceptable to continue exercising his hobby of undermining civil peace."
Al-Haj opined that "the qualifications outlined by Patriarch al-Rahi may not have been well-received by some, especially given the clear dissatisfaction of the resistance axis with the patriarch, particularly concerning his stances on arms and the exclusivity of the state’s authority over peace and war. His visit to the Holy Land years ago could also be seen as a political message to Bkerke, implying that 'the patriarch cannot take national political stances' that do not benefit a faction intent on exerting control over the country."
Regarding the possibility of the Vatican severing its diplomatic ties with Lebanon following the incident, al-Haj ruled this out and instead suggested that "the issue will encourage the Holy See to intensify pressure for Lebanon's liberation and to ensure that it upholds sovereignty and sovereign concepts, as well as to potentially play a role in international forums to support Lebanon and prevent its downfall."
