Berri Invites Parliament to Elect New President Next Wednesday
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri called on Wednesday for a parliamentary session to elect a new president on April 23.
The session is scheduled to be held at 12:00 pm.
Berri has said that a candidate should receive two-thirds of votes to win in the first round of elections and half-plus-one or 65 votes of the 128-member parliament to win in the second round.
President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ends on May 25. But the Constitutional deadline for parliament to start convening to elect a new head of state started on March 25.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, who had repeatedly called on the speaker to invite for a session to avoid vacuum, received a phone call from Berri informing him about his decision.
A statement said that Berri and al-Rahi discussed the presidential elections and the latest developments in Lebanon.
Under the 1943 power-sharing agreement, the president should be a Maronite, the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker a Shiite.
Only Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, a Maronite Christian, has officially announced his candidacy.
G.K.
M.T.
16 April 2014, 13:02
61
What does it take to remind that only a technocrat is best suited for the job? How many times should we remind that we must break with the mold of old? I was reminded of our inherent problem as Lebanese when yesterday I met with some people, who found that it was best that we get led by a man who has armed presence to his side. So the argument went, that Geagea who has command capability of thousands of men, and Aoun who also share this same dynamic are best to lead the nation, how horrifying. Since this is how the majority of people seem to think, then maybe it would be a lot better to have general Qahwaji take the reins of command of the nation.
16 April 2014, 15:18
35
So did Suleiman ! Why are you bashing him though ?
No general should reach presidency. It's a heresy that army men become politicians.
16 April 2014, 13:32
43
@Wolf : your dear Ex-General Aoun only wants to run alone though... And Frangieh + Geagea means 2 horses are running
16 April 2014, 13:36
72
Hi Roar, I am now beginning to feel that given the inertia that has been created by the rival candidates, plus the fact that good folks like Demianos don't seem to have a sporting chance, then hopefully it would be our best option now and given the current realities on the ground, that qahwahi who by and large enjoys the LAF loyalty and is trusted by most, will then be the best candidate. Let's hope that divinity will be merciful to us all.
16 April 2014, 14:20
53
just apply the constitution for the presidency and let the best candidate win
best way to elect a president is through popular vote this is the only way to keep in check the outside interventions and pressure
god bless Lebanon and democracy
16 April 2014, 14:34
05
No one is going to get 2/3 of the votes unless a miracle happened. So, it will be second round and whoever gets the 65 votes wins, problem will be that many MPs will walk out so that there won't have Quorum. Will be interesting to see the maneuvering in the next days
16 April 2014, 15:40
00
Geagea isn't he only person to declare his candidacy - MP Robert Ghanem has declared!!! LOL Does he not count?! LOL
16 April 2014, 16:31
12
So Geagea will win by default as he is the only official candidate so far. what a hopeless society that is passive/reactive instead of being pro-active in moving forward and start afresh.
Good job.
16 April 2014, 17:49
14
Is a week enough for our Lebanese politicians to go discuss with their foreign patrons (instead of scanning the wishes of the Lebanese) about who they should elect?
16 April 2014, 20:13
00
So far we have 2 announced candidates; Robert Ghanem and Samir Geagea. If Khattar or Baroud or anyone else want to run then they should announce it. If they have have not done so or even spoke publicly about the possibility of running, then they do not want to.
