BEIRUT: Lebanese MPs on Sunday nominated Jihad Azour, former minister and IMP regional director for president, with the office still vacant for several months because of political unrest. Ex-president Michel Aoun’s term expired in October, AFP reported. Since October, there have been eleven parliamentary votes to make an effort to name a new candidate for president, but divisions have stopped anyone from developing much support to succeed the former President.
Lebanon Legislators Nominate IMF Official for Presidency
The crisis-hit country has been run by an interim government with few powers since parliamentary polls in May 2022 resulted in no party with a clear majority. On Sunday, MP Mark Daou read a statement on behalf of a group of thirty-two lawmakers, endorsing Jihad Azour after weeks of talks “as a candidate “.
The same lawmakers had early backed another candidate, Michel Moawad, who on Sunday announced that he was going to withdraw his nomination and support Azour. Azour also served as finance minister of Lebanon from 2005 to 2008. He has yet to formally announce a presidential bid.
The world has asked Lebanon to fill the vacant office of president, which would permit the country, mired in a crippling many crisis since 2019, to conduct reforms required to unlock IMF loans. By convention, the country’s presidency goes to a Christian, the PM office is reserved for a Sunni Muslim and the office of parliament speaker goes to a Shiite Muslim.
