Lebanese Parliament Postpones Presidential Election

Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Lebanon's parliament postponed a vote to elect a president today, leaving both the government and opposition entrenched behind hardened positions in the power struggle that has paralyzed the country's politics.

Legislators from Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's coalition said that, because they hold a majority in parliament, they should select the successor to Emile Lahoud, 71, as head of state. Backers of Hezbollah, the opposition Shiite Muslim party and militia, insisted they must have a say.

Hezbollah and its allies boycotted today's parliamentary session in Beirut, in which a two-thirds quorum was needed to hold a vote. The session lasted less than a half-hour. Parliament will reconvene Oct. 23 for another attempt. Lahoud's presidential term ends Nov. 24.

``We won't allow the president not to be of a certain color,'' Samir Geagea, who heads a Christian party in Siniora's coalition, told reporters. Hussein Haj Hassan, a Hezbollah legislator and spokesman, said that there must be an agreed candidate before the next vote. ``I hope there will be positive signs and we will reach a consensus,'' he said in an interview.

At stake is the country's alignment in the Middle East. Siniora's government, which is supported financially by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, wants to replace Lahoud with a candidate who backs its pro-Western stance. Hezbollah, allied with and armed by Syria and Iran, is seeking a president to support its anti-Israel and anti-U.S. policies.