Salam: No Indicators that Presidential Elections Will Take Place on Time

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stated on Friday that in light of the current indicators it seems that a new president will not be elected on time, voicing also calls to hold the elections away from “external interferences.”

"We are facing a difficult stage and a challenge in electing a new head of state," he said in a meeting with Lebanese diplomats.

"Until this moment, there are no indicators that a new president will be elected on time.”

Nevertheless, Salam voiced hopes that political parties would agree to convene and fulfill this duty, "just like they agreed before and formed a new cabinet successfully."

The Premier stressed that “if a new president was elected, Lebanon will witness progress."

"But if this was not the case, there will be new suffering that no one wishes for," he remarked.

Salam warned of the consequences of vacuum, he said: “Lebanon witnessed constitutional vacuum before and we paid dearly for that. We hope this experience would not be repeated.”

Lawmakers once again failed on Wednesday to elect a new president as differences between the March 8 and 14 alliances led to a lack of quorum in the second parliamentary session aimed at choosing a new head of state.

Suleiman’s tenure ends in May 2014.

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