Lebanon's Aoun Calls for "Civil State" Declaration

President Michel Aoun announced moments ago, that the time for change has come, calling for Lebanon to be declared a "civil state" on the eve of the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, who calls for reform of the political system.

Aoun pledged to make a dialogue that leads to a consensual formula that will be translated into constitutional amendments.

Aoun added during a TV interview: "Hope is always present, and whatever the difficulties, we must face them in order to overcome and go through them, and never forget that we suffer in the hope of the resurrection, so we cannot get despaired or frustrated while we are alive."

Aoun noted: "I have not changed and am still the same, but the conflicting forces externally and internally formed a barrier in front of me."

He also emphasized that Lebanon’s transformation from the prevailing sectarian system to the modern civil state, the state of citizen and citizenship means its salvation from the hateful legacies of sectarianism and its repercussions, and its salvation from sanctuaries, red lines, and quotas that restrain any constructive will and brake any step towards reform.

He considered that the Lebanese deserve, after their suffering, a state in which competence is the criterion and the law is the guarantor of everyone's rights equally, and the basic affiliation is to the homeland and not to the leaders of sects.