By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanon’s parliament announced here Friday a new delay of a parliamentary session to elect a new president.
The parliamentary session for electing a new president scheduled on Friday was postponed till Tuesday, or Dec. 11, a parliament spokesman announced.
It is the seventh postponement since Sept. 25.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, also a main leader of the opposition, made the decision after meeting with leaders of the majority bloc, MPs of Saad Hariri and Walid Jumblatt separately.
Earlier on Thursday, local media have predicted that the session might not be able to convene as Lebanese rival leaders have failed to clinch a deal on how to amend the constitution to allow Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman to replace former President Emile Lahoud whose term run out on Nov. 24.
General Suleiman has emerged as the latest nominee for the post at the heart of the power struggle after the largest bloc in parliament, the anti-Syrian Al-Moustaqbal Movement, announced on Nov. 28 that it accepts a constitutional amendment allowing the election of Suleiman as the country’s new president.
According to Lebanon’s constitution, a senior public servant has to stand down from his post two years ahead of running for the presidency.
Lebanese ruling coalition and the opposition have been separated by a wide chasm since six of the latter’s ministers resigned from Fouad Seniora’s government last November.