Elias Sarkis elected president

On May 8, 1976, Elias Sarkis, the 52-year-old Central Bank governor, was elected president of the country. Kamal Jumblatt, Saeb Salam, and Raymond Edde refused to attend Parliament. The NM, headed by Jumblatt, opposed this Syrian-mediated presidential election. This opposition translated into armed clashes in Beirut and Tripoli, and was accompanied by targeted assassinations and assassination attempts.



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