Lebanese Parliament failed once again to elect a new president, with the votes in the twelfth session distributed between two main hopefuls, Jihad Azour and Sleiman Frangieh.
Frangieh – the candidate backed by Hezbollah, Amal movement and their allies – attained 51 votes after the ballots were counted.
Azour, backed by Hezbollah rivals and the Free Patriotic Movement, gained 59 votes, local media reported.
Ziad Baroud gained 6 votes while Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun attained 1 vote. One blank ballot was reported as another ballot was cancelled. Meanwhile, 8 lawmakers voted for what they called “New Lebanon”.
Speaker Nabih Berri then adjourned the session due to lack of quorum for a second round.
Hezbollah: Dialogue Needed
Following the session, Member of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance MP Hussein Hajj Hasan said that political divisions are the main obstacle that hinders electing a new president. He stressed importance of electing a president who is agreed upon by different political powers.
“Lebanon needs to have a new president as soon as possible, and this requires national settlement and a genuine dialogue,” MP Hajj Hasan told reporters.
Ahead of the session, Member of Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Hasan Fadlallah reiterated Hezbollah’s stance in backing Frangieh, stressing that the candidate “is capable to communicate with all the Lebanese people.”
“The candidate we support has clear political project and he is capable of reassuring all Lebanese powers,” Fadlallah told reporters before the session.
He slammed Hezbollah’s rivals by saying: “All those who agreed on candidate Azour have one goal: to topple our candidate.”
Meanwhile, he affirmed that the Lebanese State can’t be built by quarrels and discord.
“Hezbollah is sticking to the Constitution and the Taif Agreement. Our hand is extended for dialogue to reach a settlement.”
Berri Calls for Unconditional Dialogue
Speaker Berri urged political parties to avoid trading blame, stressing the need for consensus and dialogue.
“Electing a president can only be accomplished through consensus and dialogue,” he said in a statement following the session.
The Lebanese speaker further indicated the need for unconditional dialogue, provided that no one is denied the right to nominate.
Frangieh and Azour Remarks
Frangieh, for his part, thanked all the lawmakers who voted for him as well as Speaker Berri, saying he appreciates their trust.
“I also respect the opinion of the MPs who did not vote for me, yet this is a motive for constructive dialogue with everyone,” Frangieh tweeted.
كل الشكر للنواب الذين انتخبوني وللرئيس نبيه بري وثقتهم أمانة كما نحترم رأي النواب الذين لم ينتخبوني وهذا دافع لحوار بنّاء مع الجميع نبني عليه للمرحلة المقبلة لإحقاق المصلحة الوطنية.
— Sleiman Frangieh (@sleimanfrangieh) June 14, 2023
Azour also thanked the MPs who voted for him. “I hope this new scene will encourage convergence to save Lebanon from the prevailing crises, by means of respecting the choice of the parliamentary majority,” he said in a statement.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
