MPs quarrel over 'two-third quorum' in déjà vu presidential vote session

Parliament convened Thursday for the sixth time and failed again to elect a president, with the post vacant since the mandate of Michel Aoun expired last month.

Parliament is split between supporters of Hezbollah and its opponents, neither having a clear majority.

Again the votes were divided between blank ballots and MP Michel Mouawad, whose father Rene Mouawad served as president. Forty-six blank votes were cast and Mouawad received 43 votes.

Prominent historian and academic Issam khalifeh Khalife garnered seven votes from Change and independent MPs and former Minister Ziad Baroud received 3 votes, one of them from Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab who once again differentiated himself from the FPM by voting for Baroud instead of casting a white ballot.

For the first time, Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh, backed by Hezbollah, got one vote.

Hezbollah rejects the candidacy of Mouawad, who is seen as close to the United States, and has called for a president who “would reassure the resistance," but the group still did not vote for Franjieh, as media reports said they need to secure a Christian support to their candidate. Hezbollah and Amal MPs have called many times for consensus and dialogue, as they considered that voting for a candidate who has no chance of winning is pointless.

The second round in all the past sessions had been cancelled due to lack of quorum as some MPs would leave the session before the second round.

MP and Kataeb chief Sami Gemayel discussed again on Thursday that the two-third quorum is not required in the second round of voting, asking Speaker Nabih Berri about the legal rule behind his decision. "Which article in the constitution says that the two-third quorum is required in the second round of voting," Gemayel asked.

The discussion escalated into a fiery argument, as Gemayel dubbed Berri's answer in the last session as "inappropriate" from the Speaker, referring to a pun that Berri used when asked about the constitutional article.

Berri gave examples to Gemayel about previous sessions in Lebanon's history to defend the two-third quorum. "Ask your father about it," he told Gemayel.

"You've done your research," Gemayel replied, upset. He added that ex-president Amine Gemayel is against the two-third quorum.

Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan defended the two-third quorum, and criticized the chaos in the parliament, but he also urged the MPs not to leave the session and to be responsible and vote.

Change MP Elias Jradeh said that the homeland is more important than the constitution, urging for an open dialogue, and saying that vacuum is unacceptable. Change MP Melhem Khalaf suggested open sessions until quorum is reached.