Lebanon Fails to Elect President for 12th Time, Hezbollah Breaks Quorum
The Facts
On its twelfth attempt, Lebanon's 128-member parliament failed to elect a president after a bloc led by the powerful Iran-backed political party and militant group Hezbollah withdrew following the first round of voting, breaking quorum and preventing a second round vote.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, left office in October. Electing a president requires a two-thirds majority (86 votes) in Parliament in the first round of voting, while a second requires only 65 votes, with the Parliament's last attempt being held in January.
The Spin
Narrative A
It's sad that Lebanon’s political landscape has been left in limbo while Hezbollah continues to play needless games and make a mockery of the country’s electoral system. Hezbollah and its allies are unconstitutionally hijacking parliament to gain decision-making power, as the Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker Nabih Berri closed the session to the objection of most MPs. It remains to be seen how long this charade will continue, and Lebanon will, unfortunately, pay the price for these unsavory tactics.
Narrative B
Hezbollah and its allied parties have every right to object to a candidate and represent its constituents. The Lebanese system requires two-thirds of parliament’s support to elect a president for a reason, and MPs are not obligated to support any candidate. Political objection is part of a democracy, and Hezbollah politicians will not budge.
Narrative C
Jihad Azour's candidacy demonstrates the arrogance of the anti-Hezbollah forces in the Lebanese Parliament. Only a few years ago, the FPM lambasted the Siniora government, under which Azour served, for corruption, but now they are more than happy to promote that very same corruption. Frangieh is a friend of the resistance, and his presidency would be a forward step in uniting the country.
