46 MPs refuse to join legislative session of parliament in claims it would violate Lebanon’s constitution BEIRUT: A Lebanese religious leader on Sunday accused politicians of an abuse of their “power and influence” in obstructing the election of a new president and the work of state institutions. In his Sunday sermon, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi said the Arab and international communities condemned their “corruption,” adding that parliament should convene as soon as possible and decide on a new presidential head. He said: “Yes, the president is a Maronite, but the voters are not all Maronites and Christians. “Indeed, Christian leaders are responsible for the presidential vacuum, but the greater responsibility rests with others. Christians cannot agree over the identity of the president while others cannot agree over the identity of the republic. “We are thus keen not to harm the identity of neither the president nor the republic because they are a guarantee of Lebanon’s unity.” Referring to the parliamentarians, he added: “Are you respecting your top constitutional responsibility of electing a president who legislates the work of parliament and the government? Are you carrying out the internationally required reforms? “Are you letting the judiciary carry out its duties and investigate the Beirut port explosion to reveal the truth and implement justice? “Are you implementing the measures expected from the International Monetary Fund and the international community? “Are you achieving the state of law and eliminating chaos, the proliferation of illegal weapons, and the law of the jungle? “Are you consolidating Lebanon’s sovereignty over all its lands and establishing its independence?” Al-Rahi’s comments came after a meeting held in Paris last week of officials from France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and the US, to discuss developments in Lebanon. The French Foreign Ministry urged Lebanese officials to take the initiative to elect a new president and carry out the reforms needed to secure international support for the country. Political parties loyal to Hezbollah want to hold a legislative session to approve a capital controls bill and extend the term of Lebanon’s director general of security, Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who is due to retire. But 46 opposition and reformist MPs have rejected the move claiming it would be a violation of the constitution. Meanwhile, MPs Melhem Khalaf and Najat Saliba are in the fifth week of a parliament sit-in in protest over the presidential election stalemate. They are demanding that Speaker Nabih Berri keeps holding voting sessions until a new president has been agreed upon. In a separate development, security services working to combat illegal money changers have arrested Ali Nimr Al-Khalil, a member of the Amal movement and an MP’s guard.