UN calls on Lebanon to elect president as protests grow

The UN Security Council on Wednesday called on Lebanon's parliament to elect a new president to help ease a political crisis that has fueled street protests.

The appeal came after Lebanese lawmakers again failed in their 28th bid to elect a new president and fill the post left vacant since May 2014.

The deadlock in parliament took place against the backdrop of street protests first sparked by frustration over rubbish collection but that have since mushroomed into anger at Lebanon's political class.

After hearing a report from UN envoy Sigrid Kaag, the 15-member council expressed support for the government, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters.

Council members called on the parliament "to meet and elect a president as soon as possible in order to put an end to the constitutional instability," said Churkin, whose country holds this month's presidency of the council.

A meeting on the Lebanon crisis is expected to take place on the sidelines of the UN gathering of world leaders later this month.

Source: AFP