Lebanon Parliament Forced to Put Off Presidential Vote

Lebanon’s presidential election was postponed Thursday after Parliament failed to reach a quorum as a result of a boycott by hard-line Christians opposed to a Syrian-backed candidate who was favored to win.

Interior Minister Abdullah Rassi accused Christian militiamen of “forcefully preventing” 17 members of Parliament from attending the meeting to vote for former President Suleiman Franjieh, who has close ties to Syria.

“Some were forced by gunmen to go back home (to Christian East Beirut), and at least two deputies were detained,” Rassi said.

Samir Geagea, commander of the Lebanese Forces, the nation’s strongest Christian militia group, denied the charges.

Only 38 out of 76 members of Parliament showed up for the session, thereby preventing the election of Franjieh, who served as president from 1970 until 1976. The required quorum was 51.

“I shall set a date for a new session after speedy and extensive consultations with parliamentary blocs,” Speaker of Parliament Hussein Husseini told reporters.

Christian militia leaders, who have called for Syrian troops to withdraw from Lebanon, have vowed to block the election of Franjieh as successor to President Amin Gemayel.