Outgoing President Michel Suleiman expressed hope on Thursday that officials would meet all constitutional deadlines to safeguard the nation. “The last 10 days of my term should prompt officials to safeguard the state and fortify its presence by implementing democracy,” Suleiman said in a statement. He pointed out that “meeting all constitutional deadlines shall protect the state of all the dangers threatening its existence, in particular the Israeli aggression and the surging numbers of Syrian refugees.”

The statement comes in light of the parliament's failure to elect a new president for the fourth time on Thursday. Any attempt to keep the president in power requires a constitutional amendment by the two-thirds majority of the 128-member parliament. By law, if no president has been chosen by the last 10 days of the incumbent's mandate, parliament cannot meet for legislative sessions except to elect a new president. [Link]