- 10:50
D-Day at Nejmeh Square: Thursday, November 9, 2025, marks the long-awaited moment when a new president of the Lebanese Republic is (finally?) expected to be elected, following three years of vacancy at the helm of the state and twelve failed electoral sessions. Today, the 128 deputies are set to gather here—barring any last-minute surprises—with one objective: to vote.
Since the end of former President Michel Aoun's term in October 2022, Lebanon has been facing a period of presidential vacancy, accompanied by overlapping economic and security crises, the most recent being the war between Hezbollah and Israel. From political divisions to diplomatic visits, the Lebanese political scene has become mired in endless procrastination. Will the stalemate finally end? A few moments before the presidential election, the number of votes in favor of Joseph Aoun continues to rise. Until then, This is Beirut revisits the twelve past electoral sessions.
October 30, 2022: The Final Curtain for General Michel Aoun
After six years in power, the former head of the Free Patriotic Movement vacated the Baabda Palace, leaving Lebanon in a state of prolonged political paralysis. Since November 1, 2022, deputies have been summoned 12 times to vote for a new president. However, a lack of consensus has resulted in no election successfully filling the position. Let's take a closer look.
Session of September 29, 2022
In this first session, 122 of 128 deputies participated. No candidate secured the two-thirds majority (86 votes) required in the first round. Zghorta MP and presidential candidate Michel Moawad led with 36 votes, followed by Salim Edde with 11 votes. There were also 63 blank votes (from Hezbollah, Amal, the Free Patriotic Movement, and the Independent National Assembly) and 12 invalid votes. As the second round was due to begin, several MPs, including those from Hezbollah and its ally the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), left the chamber. As the quorum of 65 deputies needed for the second round was not reached, the session was annulled and postponed to a later date.
Session of October 13, 2022
On this day, out of the 128 deputies, only 71 attended. The absentees mainly included MPs from the FPM, Hezbollah, and the Amal Movement. Due to the lack of quorum, the session was adjourned.
Session of October 20, 2022
Quorum was met, but the outcome was inconclusive. Of the 119 MPs present, 42 voted for Michel Moawad, 17 for “New Lebanon,” one for Milad Abou Malhab, and 55 cast blank votes. Four votes were invalid. As in the first session, Hezbollah and its allies boycotted the second round, causing another postponement.
Session of October 24, 2022
This session saw Michel Moawad’s support drop to 39 votes out of 114. Other results included 10 votes for Professor Issam Khalifeh, 13 for “New Lebanon,” and 50 blank ballots. Two votes were invalid. The session ended without progress.
Session of November 10, 2022
During this session, a new figure emerged, despite not being a declared presidential candidate: former Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, who received a vote from Vice President of the Chamber Elias Bou Saab. On November 10, 20 MPs were absent. Among the 108 present, 44 voted for Michel Moawad, backed by a significant segment of the opposition, including the Lebanese Forces, the Progressive Socialist Party, and the Kataëb. Meanwhile, 47 MPs, notably Hezbollah and its allies, cast blank ballots. Six votes went to Professor Issam Khalifeh, one to Ziad Hayek (former Secretary-General of the Higher Council for Privatization and Partnerships), seven to “New Lebanon,” one to “Lebanon,” and one vote was annulled. Due to the loss of quorum required for the second round, a new session was scheduled for November 17.
Session of November 17, 2022
Of the 112 MPs present during the first round, Michel Moawad received 43 votes, followed by 7 for Professor Issam Khalifeh and 3 for former Minister Ziad Baroud. Forty-six MPs cast blank ballots, while 10 votes were declared invalid. The notable development during this session was the first appearance of a ballot bearing the name of former Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh, a candidate supported by the Hezbollah-Amal alliance. However, as MPs from the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and Hezbollah withdrew after the first round, quorum was lost, and the second round was cancelled.
Session of November 24, 2022
In this seventh session, Sleiman Frangieh’s name was absent, while Michel Moawad garnered 42 votes out of the 110 MPs present. Professor Issam Khalifeh received 6 votes, while former Minister Ziad Baroud secured 2. Eight MPs supported “New Lebanon,” and one vote went to former Customs Director Badri Daher, who remains imprisoned in connection with the Beirut port explosion. Fifty MPs cast blank ballots, and one vote was invalid.
Session of December 1, 2022
Michel Moawad’s support diminished, dropping from 42 to 37 votes, after losing backing from Sunni MPs aligned with Saad Hariri. Out of 111 MPs present, 52 cast blank ballots. Meanwhile, Hezbollah and Amal advanced Sleiman Frangieh’s candidacy, but the FPM resisted his nomination. Professor Issam Khalifeh received 4 votes, Ziad Baroud 2, and Badri Daher 1, while businessman Bechara Abi Younes also secured a single vote. Fourteen votes were annulled.
Session of December 8, 2022
Despite persistent efforts, this ninth session also failed to elect a president. Although the second round was boycotted, preventing the quorum from being reached, the first round resulted in a total of 105 votes, including 39 for Michel Moawad, 1 for Ziad Baroud, 3 for former Customs Chief Badri Daher, 1 for official candidate Fawzi Bou Malhab, 1 for former MP and official candidate Salah Honein, and 5 for Professor Issam Khalifeh. Thirty-nine blank ballots were cast, and 16 were annulled.
Session of December 15, 2022
After counting the votes, no majority was reached. Out of the 109 votes, 38 were for Michel Moawad, 8 for Issam Khalifeh, 2 for Ziad Baroud, 2 for Salah Honein, 1 for Fawzi Bou Malhab, and 1 for Chafic Merhi, a former customs official at the port, currently detained in the investigation into the August 4, 2022 explosion. There were 37 blank votes and 20 invalid votes. As usual, the MPs from Hezbollah and its allies withdrew after the first round's vote count, causing the loss of quorum for the second round.
Session of January 19, 2023
The eleventh session ended without resolution. Out of 111 MPs, Michel Moawad received 34 votes, while Issam Khalifeh secured 7. Ziad Baroud received 2 votes, with 1 vote each going to Salah Honein and Milad Bou Malhab. Fourteen MPs supported “New Lebanon,” and 37 blank ballots were cast.
Session of June 14, 2023
The twelfth (perhaps penultimate?) session was marked by heightened tensions but ultimately ended in failure. The exact number of MPs present was disputed—some claimed 128, while others suggested 127. Former Finance Minister Jihad Azour emerged as a frontrunner, securing 59 votes compared to Sleiman Frangieh’s 51, Hezbollah’s preferred candidate. Ziad Baroud received 6 votes, while 8 MPs supported “New Lebanon.” Army Commander Joseph Aoun garnered 1 vote. One blank ballot was withdrawn, and another was annulled.
On April 26, former Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh officially announced his candidacy in a televised interview. Ten days before the twelfth session, Michel Moawad withdrew from the race, endorsing Jihad Azour alongside 32 opposition MPs. FPM leader Gebran Bassil also pledged support for Azour.
Since the June 14 session, no further electoral rounds have been held. With an agreement still elusive and uncertainty clouding Lebanon’s immediate future, one wonders whether, after January 9, the Baabda Palace will remain unoccupied…
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