General Michel Suleiman elected Lebanon's new president
General Michel Suleiman has been elected Lebanon's new president
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Sunday, 25, May 2008 09:21
Lebanon's army commander General Michel Suleiman has been elected as president by the country's parliament today.
The appointment ends the political deadlock which left the position vacant since November last year.
Earlier this week a deal was reached ending the violent outbreaks in the country.
Today, the speaker in Lebanon's parliament, Nabih Berri, announced that General Suleiman had won 118 of the 127 votes cast.
The general was standing unopposed in the election after being accepted as the neutral candidate by the country's rival parties.
After being sworn in as the new president General Suleiman told MPs that today marked "the beginning of a nation that is starting to wake up from self-destruction".
"I call upon you all, political forces, citizens, to start a new phase which is called 'Lebanon and the Lebanese people', in which we are committed to the national project, with a civilised mindset," he said.
Lebanon has been in a state of political crisis since 2006 when pro-Syrian groups, including Hezbollah, withdrew from the coalition government.
Two weeks ago violence broke out once more in the country with at least 65 people killed in the clashes.