Lebanese Parliament Fails to Elect New President , Session Adjourned

Local Editor

Lebanon's Parliament adjourned the session to elect a new president in the first round of voting with none of the candidates receiving the two-thirds majority needed to win.

The Lebanese parliament session to elect a new president on Wednesday was adjourned for lack of quorum, with Lebanese Forces candidate Samir Geagea failing to win two-thirds majority.

Geagea won 48 votes, with 52 blank ballots cast, 16 for Henry Helou from the "National Struggle Front" , one vote for Amine Gemayel, and 7 void.

The parliament session was later adjourned for lack of quorum after many March 8 lawmakers walked out of the session.

Speaker Nabih Berri scheduled the second round of voting for April 30.
Parliament must choose a successor to President Michel Suleiman, whose six-year term ends in late May.

Berri convened the first round of election after 124 lawmakers arrived to take part in the session. Ministers from Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet also attended the session, as well as several foreign ambassadors.

The March 14 coalition announced its unanimous support for Geagea after a meeting on Tuesday evening.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team