Joseph Aoun Secures 71 Votes; A Surprising Outcome Expected After Break

Army Commander General Joseph Aoun received 71 votes in the first round of the presidential election, compared to 37 blank ballots, 18 invalid votes, and 2 for other names. Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri announced a two-hour break in the session for consultation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated, "A president will be elected, and the parliamentary majority will surprise everyone."