BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese lawmakers failed to elect a new president during voting on Thursday at the first election session held by the legislature, just over one month ahead of the end of President Michel Aoun’s term, according to a Reuters count of votes.
Any successful presidential candidate requires the votes of at least 86 members of the 128-member legislature to win in the first round of voting. However, the number of blank or null ballots cast meant no candidate would achieve the number required, according to a Reuters count ahead of the formal announcement of results.
(Reporting by Timour Azhari; Editing by Lina Najem and Alison Williams)
