The vote ends more than two years of vacancy in office after the end of Michel Aoun’s term in October 2022
MADRID, 9 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Lebanese Parliament elected this Thursday the head of the Army, Joseph Aoun, as the country’s new president, a vote that went ahead after more than two years of vacuum in office after the end of Michel Aoun’s mandate in October 2022. and in the midst of complaints about a possible violation of the Constitution as the chosen one is still at the head of the Armed Forces.
Aoun’s election went ahead in the second vote, after the first ended with 71 votes in favor, 37 blank, fourteen in favor of “sovereignty and the Constitution”, two for Chebli Malat – who withdrew his candidacy– and four invalids, according to the newspaper ‘L’Orient-Le Jour’.
In the second round, held two hours after the first after the president of Parliament, Nabih Berri, ordered a recess to allow consultations between parliamentarians, Aoun has obtained 99 of the 128 possible, far exceeding the minimum of 86 endorsements necessary. to be elected.
In addition, nine parliamentarians have voted blank, twelve have voted “sovereignty and Constitution” and two in favor of Malat, to which are added five invalid votes. In this way, the head of the Army – with no family relationship with his predecessor – is on his way to becoming the fourteenth president of the Asian country.
Aoun, 60, was listed as the favorite for the election after the candidate backed by the Shiite militia party Hezbollah, Suleiman Frangie, of the Free Patriotic Movement (MPL), withdrew his candidacy and expressed his support for the army chief, in an attempt to end the serious political crisis in the country.
However, several parliamentarians have expressed harsh criticism of the situation during the parliamentary session and have stated that it represents a violation of the Constitution, which must be amended so that Aoun can take office, since it is currently preventing the election as president of Any person who has held a position of responsibility during the previous two years.