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| Vote on Lebanon president delayed | Vote on Lebanon president delayed |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Lebanese members of parliament have again put off a vote to elect a new president. They are now scheduled to hold the vote on 11 December. | Lebanese members of parliament have again put off a vote to elect a new president. They are now scheduled to hold the vote on 11 December. |
| The pro-West ruling bloc and pro-Syrian opposition have agreed on army chief Gen Michel Suleiman, but are divided on the make-up of a new government. | The pro-West ruling bloc and pro-Syrian opposition have agreed on army chief Gen Michel Suleiman, but are divided on the make-up of a new government. |
| There is also said to be a dispute over how to amend the constitution to allow a senior civil servant to be elected. | There is also said to be a dispute over how to amend the constitution to allow a senior civil servant to be elected. |
| The deadlock meant Emile Lahoud stepped down last month without a successor. | The deadlock meant Emile Lahoud stepped down last month without a successor. |
| When his term in office ended on 23 November, Mr Lahoud's presidential powers were passed to the pro-Western government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. | When his term in office ended on 23 November, Mr Lahoud's presidential powers were passed to the pro-Western government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. |
| Correspondents say Gen Suleiman has remained neutral during the year-long political crisis and has repeatedly called on the army to keep out of politics. | Correspondents say Gen Suleiman has remained neutral during the year-long political crisis and has repeatedly called on the army to keep out of politics. |
| During the deadlock - Lebanon's worst political crisis since the country's long civil war ended in 1990 - parliament has been crippled and the opposition has refused to recognise the government. | During the deadlock - Lebanon's worst political crisis since the country's long civil war ended in 1990 - parliament has been crippled and the opposition has refused to recognise the government. |
| Constitutional amendment | Constitutional amendment |
| Under Article 49 of the current constitution, senior civil servants are barred from becoming president within two years of stepping down. | Under Article 49 of the current constitution, senior civil servants are barred from becoming president within two years of stepping down. |
| Gen Suleiman has remained neutral in Lebanon's recent upheavals | Gen Suleiman has remained neutral in Lebanon's recent upheavals |
| The constitution has been amended twice since 1998, first to allow Mr Lahoud to become president and again in 2004 to extend his term by three years. | The constitution has been amended twice since 1998, first to allow Mr Lahoud to become president and again in 2004 to extend his term by three years. |
| That move sharply divided Lebanon into pro-Western and anti-Syrian camps. | That move sharply divided Lebanon into pro-Western and anti-Syrian camps. |
| Months later, Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon amid huge protests after the assassination of the former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, who had recently joined the anti-Syrian side. | |
| Any further amendment to the constitution would have to be approved by a two-thirds majority in the 128-seat parliament, something also required for the election of a new president. A quorum of two-thirds is also necessary for either vote. | Any further amendment to the constitution would have to be approved by a two-thirds majority in the 128-seat parliament, something also required for the election of a new president. A quorum of two-thirds is also necessary for either vote. |
| Under Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system, the country's president must be from the Maronite Christian minority. | Under Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system, the country's president must be from the Maronite Christian minority. |
| The post of prime minister is always reserved for a Sunni Muslim, while that of parliament speaker goes to a Shia. | The post of prime minister is always reserved for a Sunni Muslim, while that of parliament speaker goes to a Shia. |