Lebanon fails to elect president for the 39th time in a row
The Lebanese Parliament failed on Tuesday to elect a new president for the country for the 39th time amid a boycott by Hezbollah lawmakers and other political blocs.
Forty-one MPs attended Tuesday’s assembly session, falling short of the 86 necessary to meet a quorum for holding the vote.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri postponed the vote to June 2, when MPs will try once again to elect a new head of state.
Former President Michel Suleiman’s term ended on May 25, 2014. Since then, Lebanon’s 128-seat parliament has been unable to muster enough MPs to elect a new president.
Lebanon’s political forces remain split between supporters of the March 14 Alliance, which backs the armed opposition in next-door Syria, and the March 8 Alliance, which includes Hezbollah and supports the Assad regime.
A third, centrist bloc, meanwhile, is led by Druze politician Walid Jumblatt and former Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.
- Libya’s HCS invites applicants for key state roles - December 31, 2023
- UK calls on Iran to prevent escalation in Israel-Hamas conflict - November 05, 2023
- Libyan Interior Minister: Immigrant shelter costs a fortune - November 05, 2023