Lebanon’s parliament to convene in June to elect new president
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA): Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has set June 14 for holding a session to elect a new president.
The last parliamentary session to elect a president was held on January 12, but lawmakers failed to agree on a candidate.
There have been 11 sessions to elect a new president to succeed Michel Aoun, who left office on October 31.
The announcement of the new parliamentary session comes as several political blocs have voiced support for the nomination of former Finance Minister Jihad Azour for president.
The Hezbollah group and allied Amal movement, however, still back Suleiman Frangieh, the leader of Lebanon’s Marada Movement, for the post.
A candidate needs two-thirds of the vote, or 86 lawmakers, to make it through the first stage. An absolute majority is needed in subsequent rounds.
Since 2019, Lebanon has been facing a crippling economic crisis that, according to the World Bank, is one of the worst the world has seen in modern times.
The country has been without a fully functioning government since May, with Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his cabinet having limited powers in their current caretaker status.
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