No candidates nominated for vote on Albania’s president

TIRANA, Albania – The Albanian Parliament has failed to elect the country’s new president after no candidates were nominated for the first round of voting.

The governing left-wing coalition declined to put forward a candidate for the post on Wednesday as an expression of good faith for Parliament’s centre-right opposition.

The opposition has boycotted Parliament since February. It wants a caretaker Cabinet to take the country to a June 18 parliamentary election, alleging the current government will manipulate the vote.

Presidential candidates are proposed by a group of at least 20 lawmakers. The five-year presidency has a largely ceremonial role and is limited to two terms.

Albania’s 140-seat Parliament picks the president in five rounds. In the first three rounds, the winner must secure at least three-fifths of the vote, or 84 backers.