Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday criticized the parliamentary presidential election session that took place earlier in the day on Wednesday, denouncing a "stalemate" in the vote.
Lebanon has been without a head of state for several months due to a lack of political consensus. Former President Michel Aoun's term in office ended on October 31.
"If a second round [of voting] had taken place today, as should have been the case, we could have elected a president," Geagea tweeted, referring to the fact that some MPs exited the chambers as soon as the first round of voting was over, forcing a loss of quorum. "What happened in Parliament is a formal blockage, not only of today's session but of the presidential election as such."
Wednesday was Parliament's twelfth session devoted to the election of a president, all of which have failed.
In the first round of voting, former Finance Minister Jihad Azour — who is supported by the majority of opposition forces — received 59 votes while Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh — who is supported by Amal, Hezbollah and other MPs — received 51 votes.
Six MPs voted for former Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, eight MPs voted for "New Lebanon," and one vote each went to army commander Joseph Aoun and to contractor Jihad al-Arab.
One blank vote was also counted.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has not yet set a date for the next presidential election session.
Marada MP Tony Frangieh, son of Sleiman Frangieh, responded to the LF’s leader's tweet: "Even if we had held ten consecutive sessions, we wouldn't have elected a president! The reason is simple: those who have chosen to gather around [the candidacy of] Jihad Azour know full well that he has no chance,” the younger Frangieh wrote in Twitter.
"The only reason for this convergence on Azour is the desire to block Sleiman Frangieh's path and eliminate him from the race ... which won't happen," he concluded.