Lebanon's president urges politicians to choose successorMay 24, 2014 - 14:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Lebanon's president called on squabbling politicians on Saturday, May 24, to choose a successor to his post, leaving behind a political vacuum chiefly caused by the fallout from the civil war in neighboring Syria, the Associated Press reports. President Michel Sleiman spoke during a farewell speech to end his six-year term. Lebanese politicians haven't been able to agree on a successor to Suleiman, whose term ends Sunday. Lebanon is accustomed to lurching political crisis, and the country's unity government will administer until a new president is selected. The country went for months without a president before Sleiman, a former army commander, was elected in 2008. But the absence of a president is chiefly a setback for Lebanon's Christian community, whose influence has significantly waned since the country's 1975-90 war. It also erodes Lebanon's fragile institutions that keep the country of Christian and Muslim minority sects together, the AP says. In Lebanon's power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim. A two-thirds quorum, or 85 of the legislature's 128 members, is required for an electoral session to elect the president. The elections are also influenced by international and regional actors backing rival factions, and presidents are elected only after securing the necessary regional support and consensus among the political camps. But consensus has been near impossible. The Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah has been fighting onside of Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces, while most Sunnis broadly support the armed uprising to overturn his rule. Hezbollah-loyal politicians have demanded a future president be sympathetic to the militia's military intervention. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |