Lebanon's parliament on Monday (October 31st) elected former general Michel Aoun president, ending a power vacuum and political stalemate of more than two years, AFP reported.
After four rounds of voting, including two unexpected repeat votes, Aoun won support from 83 lawmakers, easily clearing the 50%-plus-one majority required.
The final tally included 36 blank votes and eight void ballots.
Aoun, 81, failed to achieve the two-thirds majority necessary to win a first round of voting, and a second round was repeated twice after the number of votes exceeded the 127 lawmakers present.
Aoun's election ends a vacancy for the post since May 2014, when his predecessor Michel Sleiman's mandate ended.
Political powers were repeatedly unable to reach consensus on a candidate for president, a post reserved for a Maronite Christian and elected by parliament.
The breakthrough came with the support of two of Aoun's rivals: Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces, and former premier Saad Hariri.
Hariri, who Aoun is expected to name prime minister, said his endorsement was necessary to "protect Lebanon, protect the system, protect the state and protect the Lebanese people".
