LEBANON-PRESIDENTIAL SESSION Lebanon still without a president after 30th session attempt

Record ID: 134869

  • Title: LEBANON-PRESIDENTIAL SESSION Lebanon still without a president after 30th session attempt
  • Date: 21st October 2015
  • Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 21, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF LEBANESE PARLIAMENT BUILDING VARIOUS OF LEBANESE FLAG ON TOP PARLIAMENT BUILDING VARIOUS OF LEBANESE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT INSIDE PARLIAMENT BUILDING MPS GATHERING IN PARLIAMENT EMPTY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT CHAIR VARIOUS OF MPS GATHERING IN PARLIAMENT MORE OF MPS IN PARLIAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE MEMBER OF P
  • Embargoed: 5th November 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4O2S9HLOFR8INV9KJ1OZ4IEPB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Thirty parliamentary sessions on and Lebanese members of parliament fail once again to elect a new president for the country, a position that has remained vacant since May 2014 due to political conflict in the country.
    Some Lebanese members of parliament (MPs), mainly from March 14 movement, showed up to the parliament building in central Beirut on Wednesday (October 21) for the 30th session. But once again the needed quorum of 65 for a voting session to take place was not reached.
    Parliament spokesman announced the Speaker Nabih Berri postponed the session till November 11, 2015 - the date set for the 31st presidential session attempt.
    Lebanese MP Samer Saade from the March 14's Kataeb bloc blamed his fellow parliamentarians from March 8, who fail to make an appearance at the sessions.
    "We will come to the 31st, 32nd and 33rd session. But without an awakening of conscience from some members of parliament who are abstaining and not shouldering their responsibility - they are watching the country collapse with the a presidential void affecting all levels, it has reached a point where there is garbage on the streets. The country is all collapsing, institutions are all coming to a halt - if their conscience does not awaken in front of the rotting they are creating, I don't know what the solution can be for this situation," he said after the session.
    The March 14 movement are at odds with the pro-Syria Hezbollah and March 8 movement, and differ on a range of issues including the choice of who will be the next president.
    The presidency is set aside for a Maronite Christian but has been vacant due to a political crisis, stoked by regional conflicts including the war in neighbouring Syria.
    Lebanese MP Akram Chehayeb suggested the presidential void crisis in Lebanon can only be resolved with foreign intervention. Resolving the deadlock over the presidency has been complicated by regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia, which backs Sunni Muslim politician Saad al-Hariri, and Iran, which backs Hezbollah.
    "The local and international complications and the lack of agreement internally are all among the factors that are delaying this election. The hope, for sure, is in a foreign settlement that helps in an internal agreement, to reach a consensus on a president for the country," Chehayeb said as he was leaving the parliament building in central Beirut.
    And as MPs left parliament, Beirut's locals voiced their lack of optimism and hope for Lebanon.
    One Lebanese citizen in his fifties, Rafic Taleb, voiced his lack of optimism for the future of his country.
    "There is no way there will be a president. The country is paralysed and heading to destruction. As long as this political crew is present and those ruling the country are 24 ministers acting as 24 presidents, what country can work?" Taleb said.
    Prime Minister Tammam Salam's government, formed with Saudi-Iranian blessing, has spared Lebanon a complete vacuum in the executive arm but has been unable to take any major decisions due to a lack of consensus. The parliament elected in 2009 has extended its own term and postponed elections until 2017 on the grounds of instability.
    Another citizen walking through Beirut's Hamra street, Adnan, said as long as the Lebanese people don't react to the crisis, no president will be elected.
    "The members of parliament are not ready to elect a president and the people are asleep, the people don't care if there is a president or not. Believe me, if the people wake up for real - not how they get up now in the country - no members of parliament stay. Let's have a new parliament, a new president; this is enough, we are bored, we can't wait anymore," Adnan said.
    Lebanon's political paralysis has fuelled a broader wave of discontent that has sparked off sometimes violent protests over failing public services in recent months. Anger has come to a head this summer over a crisis over trash disposal, leaving piles of refuse mounting on Beirut's streets.
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