Lebanese parliament fails to elect new president
Lebanon’s parliament failed for the third time Monday to elect a successor to President Michel Aoun, with the speaker of parliament setting a date for the next presidential election.
Although the council failed for the third time to elect a new president, it was the fourth time they tried to meet, after the quorum was not reached in the first session.
The most prominent results were Michel Mouawad’s 39 votes, Essam Khalifa’s 10, New Lebanon’s 13, 50 blank votes and two blank votes.
The voting process for the election of a president of Lebanon, in the fourth session, started on Monday morning, and the number of deputies present in the room reached 110.
Following the failure of the election of a new president for Lebanon, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri scheduled a new session to elect a president for the Republic on Thursday, October 27th.
President Michel Aoun’s term expires on October 31st, and divisions remain deep between political blocs over the formation of the new government.
He has served several times since the 1975-1990 civil war.
In anticipation of another vacuum, politicians have stepped up efforts to agree on a new government headed by Sunni Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, who is now the caretaker prime minister, as presidential powers could be transferred to the new government.
