Lebanon MPs Deadlock, But Deal Looms

After last week's killing, possible presidential compromise awaits

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 25, 2007 2:19 PM CDT

Copied

Lebanon MPs Deadlock, But Deal Looms — Lebanese Christian anti-Syrian lawmaker, Solonge Gemayel, holds a portrait of slain Lebanese minister and anti-Syrian lawmaker Pierre Gemayel, upon her arrival at the parliament building to vote for new Lebanese President, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday Sept. 25, 2007. Lebanon's parliament put... (Associated Press)

As expected, the Lebanese parliament deadlocked today as it tried to select a successor to outgoing president Émile Lahoud. But after last week's assassination of an anti-Syrian MP, this week brought promising signs of a compromise between the ruling party and more pro-Syrian opposition groups, including Hezbollah. Another vote is scheduled for next month, Reuters reports.

The standoff between pro- and anti-Syrian factions in Lebanon over the next president, who is by tradition always a Christian, has now entered its 10th month. But a recent meeting between the parliament's pro-Syrian speaker and Saad al-Hariri, the son of the slain ex-PM, has signaled a possible thaw. Lahoud's term expires Nov. 23. (More Lebanon stories.)

Report an error