For the third time, Lebanon fails to elect new president

Lebanese parliamentarians failed for the third time yesterday to elect a new president to replace President Michel Sleiman whose mandate ends on May 25.

Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri adjourned the session to elect a new president to May 15, after only 73 members of parliament showed up by noon yesterday.

Deputies representing Hezbollah and the March 8 Alliance boycotted yesterday’s session, hindering the vote.

Members of the March 14 Alliance were angry with deputies who intentionally boycotted the session to disrupt the vote for a third time in a row.

Observers believe the new session will have the same fate as its predecessors, as the political blocs did not reach an agreement on backing a candidate.

Meanwhile, the Phalange Party leader, former president Amin Gemayel is reported to have been engaged in discussions with Christian leaders dealing with the future of the president’s post.

Gemayel, who met with the head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun, is also scheduled to meet with the president of the Marada Movement, MP Sleiman Frangieh next week.

The Phalange parties told Al-Araby Al-Jadded news site: “During Gemayel’s tour, the parties expressed their eagerness to avoid a power vacuum.”