Lebanon fails to elect new president for 5th time

BEIRUT, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's parliament on Thursday failed to elect a new president as political parties could not yet agree on a figure for the vacant presidential seat, the National News Agency reported.

A picture shows the Lebanese Parliament building during the 4th session to elect a new President in Beirut on October 24, 2022. (File photo: AFP)

The voting session, which 108 deputies attended out of 128, resulted in 44 votes for parliament member Michel Mouawad, six votes for University professor Issam Khalife, one vote for former Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, and one vote for former Secretary General of Lebanon's High Council for Privatization Ziad Hayek, as well as 47 blank votes, and scattered votes for political slogans.

This is the fifth time the parliament has failed to elect a successor to former President Michel Aoun whose term ended on Oct. 31, plunging the country into further political uncertainty.

Lebanon's presidency has been vacant several times before in light of political differences among the parties governing the country.

Lebanon's House Speaker Nabih Berri called for another parliamentary session to be held on Nov. 17 for the election of a new president.