Pope Calls for Immediate Election of New President in Lebanon

Pope Francis urges Lebanese leaders to expedite the election of a new president, emphasizing the importance of political stability for the nation’s recovery.

On Sunday, Pope Francis urged Lebanese politicians to swiftly elect a new president in order to restore functionality to the country’s governing institutions.

“I extend an urgent call to all Lebanese politicians to promptly elect the president of the republic,” said the pontiff at Saint Peter’s Square following Sunday’s Angelus prayer.

Francis stated that Lebanon’s institutions must “resume normal operations to implement essential reforms and maintain the country’s status as a model of peaceful coexistence among diverse religions.”

Lebanese parliamentary speaker, Nabih Berri, has scheduled a presidential election for January 9 in an effort to resolve the two-year leadership vacancy.

Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term concluded in October 2022.

Neither of the two main parliamentary blocs—the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its opponents—possesses the majority needed to elect a head of state, and they have been unable to reach an agreement on a consensus candidate.