Lebanon president flags army chief as successor (Suleiman)

Middle East Online ^ | 8/31/2007 | Rana Mossaoui

[RDTF]

Lahoud says would name Suleiman as provisional successor if camps fail to agree on permanent one.

BEIRUT - Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said Thursday he would name army chief General Michel Suleiman as his provisional successor if the country's competing political camps fail to agree on a permanent one.

He was speaking ahead of a planned parliamentary vote this autumn to elect a new president, with the country's pro- and anti-Syrian blocs in a deadlock that threatens to exacerbate ongoing political paralysis.

A successful vote requires the 128-seat house to muster a quorum of 86 MPs but this will require a compromise, as the ruling coalition of Western-backed Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has just 69 MPs.

Only once a quorum is reached can the legislature proceed to electing a president, but even then the only hope for success is a compromise candidate.

General Suleiman has recently made statements suggesting that he might be prepared to be that person.

"The constitution is clear and so are our constitutional norms: a president can be elected only if two-thirds of the number of deputies attend the session," the pro-Syrian Lahoud said in a statement issued by his office.

-snip-

Lebanon has been mired in a political stalemate since last November, when pro-Syrian opposition forces, led by the Shiite movement Hezbollah, withdrew their six ministers from Siniora's cabinet.

Lahoud has refused to recognise the government's continuing legitimacy, and Shiite parliamentary chief Nabih Berri has blocked all legislative initiatives put forward by Siniora's administration.

-snip-

[RDTF]

ping

[spyone]

Good move. The guy has done a reasonable job killing Islamists with poor resources.