Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi expressed anger on Sunday over the ongoing delay in electing a new head of state as reports said that he intends to propose the names of new candidates to fill the vacant post. “The Patriarch's anger is increasing over the ongoing presidential vacuum,” al-Rahi's visitors quoted him as saying in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper.

The sources said that al-Rahi “refuses to remain silent and accept the negligence,” in hints to the sharp differences between the political arch-foes. Lebanon has been plunged in vacuum in the presidency since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May. Eight presidential elections sessions have been held, seven of which were obstructed due to a lack of quorum at parliament caused by a boycott by the March 8 lawmakers of the Change and Reform and Loyalty to the Resistance blocs over differences on a presidential candidate. [Link]