Lebanon (MNN) — Lebanon’s Parliament is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, June 14, to elect a new president. After seven months of political stalemate, opposition parties finally chose a presidential candidate last week.
The country is nearing a critical tipping point. “We [have] almost a complete vacuum in government,” Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says
“Lebanon has been without a president since November 1. We don’t even have a prime minister; we have a caretaker prime minister. The parliament is completely paralyzed. The central bank chair’s term will end in a month; the head of the Lebanese army’s term will end in few months.”
Inflation hit 269 percent in April amid currency devaluation, a nine percent increase from March. On Thursday, International Monetary Fund spokesperson Julie Kozack told reporters:
Lebanon needs urgent action to implement a comprehensive economic reform program… We are concerned about irreversible consequences for the economy, especially for the poor citizens of Lebanon and the middle class.
Ask the Lord to intervene in Lebanon’s political chaos so that millions of people can get the help they need to survive.
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)
Stuck in a crippling economic crisis since late 2019, Lebanon desperately needs reorganization. Setting up a functional government is the first change required to unlock foreign aid.
“The International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and all donor nations have said, ‘We can no longer bail out Lebanon without specific reforms,’” Melki says.
If everything goes as planned, Parliament members will meet on June 14 to “elect one of those two candidates with the majority of two-thirds for the first round, or the majority of 50 plus one and the second round,” Melki explains.
“But Hezbollah is already talking about sabotaging the meeting. [Hezbollah wants to] ensure that there will be no two-thirds quorum for the first round because they know the opposition nominee has a very strong possibility of winning the election.”
Ask the Lord to intervene in Lebanon’s chaos so that millions can get the help they need to survive. “It’s not only the economic struggle,” Melki says.
“Everything is broken, and we really need a miracle.”
Partner with Heart for Lebanon here to meet physical and spiritual needs. “Let’s pray that hope is restored – not in political figures, not in presidential elections – but hope in Christ,” Melki requests.
Header image depicts Lebanon’s Parliament building in downtown Beirut. (Wikimedia Commons)
