Lebanese parliament elects new president, ending vacuum | Inquirer News

Lebanese parliament elects new president, ending vacuum

/ 11:36 PM October 31, 2016

People walk past posters of Christian leader Michel Aoun in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. Aoun, an 81-year-old veteran politician, is set to be elected by Parliament on Monday as part of a political deal that's expected to be another boost for President Bashar Assad in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

People walk past posters of Christian leader Michel Aoun in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. Aoun, an 81-year-old veteran politician, is set to be elected by Parliament on Monday as part of a political deal that’s expected to be another boost for President Bashar Assad in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s parliament has elected Michel Aoun, a former army commander and strong ally of Hezbollah, as president, ending a more than two-year vacuum in the country’s top post.

Aoun secured a simple majority of votes in the house after a chaotic session that saw several rounds of voting because extra ballots appeared in the ballot box each time. He garnered 83 votes out of 127 lawmakers present at the session.

Article continues after this advertisement

He also failed to get elected by a two thirds majority in the first round, as had been widely expected.

Aoun’s election is seen by many as a clear victory for the pro-Iranian axis in the Middle East, giving a boost to Hezbollah and the Shiite Lebanese group’s ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad. TVJ

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: Beirut, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Michel Aoun

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.