Lebanon’s parliament to meet in sixth attempt to elect president

Lebanon’s parliament is set to meet tomorrow in its sixth attempt to elect a president while the caretaker government struggles to manage the country’s multiple crises.

Parliamentary speaker Nabil Berri has been criticised for calling the session while deeply divided politicians cannot agree on a consensus candidate.

It could take months for the 128-member chamber to reach the simple majority required to elect a president if deadlock persists while the country suffers economic collapse and 80 per cent of the population lives in poverty.

Right-wing, independent and reformist deputies representing a quarter of the legislators met on Tuesday to discuss how to end the impasse but could not agree on a candidate. They warned against calling for pointless parliamentary sessions which could “contribute to normalising the presidential vacuum”. Caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati has declared support for Suleiman Frangie, grandson of a former president, and ally of the influential Shia Hizbullah. The movement has not followed suit due to opposition from former president Michel Aoun, whose term ended last month. Lebanon was without a president for 30 months before Mr Aoun was chosen.

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France and Saudi Arabia, two key external powers involved in efforts to form a fully empowered government and elect a president, have indicated they could support Mr Frangie, according to the al-Akbar newspaper.

Deadlock persists because Mr Aoun not only refuses to back Mr Frangie but has also foiled repeated attempts by Mr Mikati to form a government since May, leaving Lebanon with a caretaker cabinet which cannot take essential decisions.

Mr Aoun’s aim is to secure the presidency for his son-in-law Jebran Bassil. Mr Bassil has been sanctioned by the US for corruption and support for Hezbollah, which Washington has branded a terrorist organisation.

Meanwhile, Médecins Sans Frontiers has joined Beirut’s campaign to vaccinate northern villagers and townspeople against cholera to try to prevent its spread throughout the country. Some 600,000 doses have been received by Lebanon to counter growing infection from sewage seeping into water pipes. At least 18 people have died among 3,369 cases registered by the health ministry since early October when the disease crossed the border from Syria, where the UN’s children’s agency has reported 35,569 cases.

War combined with sanctions have combined to wreck that country’s infrastructure and block reconstruction.

Following the US-brokered deal delineating the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel, France’s Total and partner Italy’s Eni have announced that they will begin exploration in Lebanon’s Qana field.

Under the agreement, Israel has rights to develop the Karish field and is entitled to receive royalties as Qana overlaps with Karish in the south.

Meanwhile, the American University of Beirut (AUB) founded by missionaries in 1866, has been declared by QS World University Rankings as top university in sustainable education in the region and 140th – tying with Princeton – of 700 on the world scene.