Mashnouq Walks Out of Parliament to Avoid Voting for 'Ghazi Kanaan'

Caretaker Interior Minister and Beirut MP Nouhad al-Mashnouq on Wednesday walked out of parliament during a vote for the deputy speaker post.

“I will not vote for Ghazi Kanaan for the deputy speaker post,” Mashnouq tweeted, in a jab at MP Elie Ferzli who was elected deputy speaker during the session.

The late Kanaan was the head of Syria's infamous security apparatus in Lebanon during Damascus' tutelage over the country.

“I only voted for (Speaker Nabih) #Berri out of my belief in his patriotism and Arabism... but I will not take part in a session that reelects one of the most notorious Syrian tutelage figures as deputy speaker,” Mashnouq added.

“The Lebanese paid a lot of blood to get rid of Syrian tutelage that was for long years embodied in Ghazi Kanaan and his cronies, and I do not accept to take part in any practice aimed at reviving the Syrian tutelage,” the minister stressed.