Lebanese parliament fails again to elect new president

By Wassim Seif El-Din

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) – Lebanon’s parliament on Monday failed for the fourth time to elect a successor to incumbent President Michel Aoun.

Aoun’s six-year term is set to end on Oct. 31.

Candidate Michel Mouawad, backed by the Lebanese Forces Party, got only 39 votes in Monday’s session, which was attended by 110 members of the 128-seat assembly.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri set the next session for October 27.

In Lebanon, the president is limited to a single six-year term.

To win in the first round of voting, two-thirds of lawmakers in the 128-member assembly are needed, after which a simple majority suffices.

Lebanese MPs have not yet agreed on a successor to Aoun, raising concerns of a political and institutional deadlock in Lebanon, which has been going through a deep economic crisis since 2019.

Lebanon has already been without a fully functioning government since May.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report