Lebanon presidential vote delayed on second round

The Lebanese parliament has delayed voting on the country’s next president over differences among lawmakers during their second attempt to pick a president.

On Wednesday, Lebanese lawmakers failed to elect a successor to President Michel Sleiman.

The Lebanese official National News Agency said parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, “has set the date of May 7 as a new date to hold a parliamentary session, given the lack of quorum on Wednesday.”

Parliament members backed by the country’s resistance movement, Hezbollah, refused to attend the session. Only 47 of the parliament’s 128 members attended.

A candidate must receive two thirds of the vote, meaning at least 86 votes, in order to win.

Deputies are faced with a choice between Samir Geagea, an opponent of the Syrian government and Hezbollah resistance movement, and Michel Aoun.

Lebanon’s presidential vote has been overshadowed by the deadly foreign-sponsored unrest spilling over into the country from neighboring Syria.