A Lebanese legislator lodged a protest vote in his country’s presidential election on Thursday by choosing American Jewish socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
The eventual winner was Lebanon’s military commander Joseph Aoun, who defeated Sanders by a tally of 99 to 1.
Lebanon’s president is elected by its 128-seat parliament, not a popular vote among the general electorate. The legislature has been deadlocked for two years, struggling and failing to elect a president 12 times. The country has therefore lacked a president since the previous holder of the office, Michel Aoun, completed his term in October 2022.
The voting process is conducted in two rounds, with a two-thirds majority of 86 votes normally required in the first round. If a winner is not determined, the second round requires only a simple majority…
