On Sunday, Pope Francis asked leaders in the crisis-ridden nation of Lebanon to “set aside… personal interests” and reach a consensus on how to replace the position of president, which is presently vacant.
During a news conference on his way home from a trip to Bahrain, the pontiff urged Lebanese politicians to set aside their agendas, consider the country, and reach a consensus.
Since Michel Aoun’s term as president expired at the beginning of the week without a replacement, Lebanon, which is already beset by political and economic woes, is now without a president.
Currently run by a caretaker administration, Lebanon is unable to implement the significant changes required to obtain billions of euros from foreign lenders to support the recovery of an economy that has been in freefall since late 2019.
The president is chosen by a vote of the parliament of Lebanon.
However, after four voting rounds held by the parliament since September, no candidate was able to secure enough support to succeed Aoun.
Francis stated, “I don’t want to say we are saving Lebanon because we are not saviours.
However, he pleaded with people to assist Lebanon out of its predicament and restore its glory.
According to the World Bank, Lebanon has been experiencing one of the worst economic crises in recent memory over the past three years.
On the underground market, the Lebanese pound has lost more than 95% of its value versus the US dollar since January 2019, and the majority of the population now lives in poverty.
