(BEIRUT) — Oh, the irony!
A new Miss Lebanon for 2015 was elected on Monday, proving that some elections do actually exist in Lebanon!
While the presidential palace in Baabda remains empty, a panel of judges somehow managed to appoint a new Miss Lebanon to represent the country in the upcoming Miss World and Miss Universe competitions.
Clearly, representation at these pageants is far more important than representation at international security meetings and among world leaders.
The beauty is Valerie Abou Chacra, a 23-year-old student at the Lebanese American University, who received the crown from Sally Greige, Miss Lebanon 2014.
Abou Chacra beat out 13 other women with the judges’ votes, including Josline Mosleh and Cynthia Samoeil, who were first runners-up. Nour Nasrallah and Maria Tannous came in second and third place, respectively.
Greige presented Abou Chacra with the Miss Lebanon crown during a live pageant broadcast on LBC. Unlike Lebanon’s own leaders, Greige cannot extend her own term.
Political quarrels have created a stalemate in Lebanon, which has left the country without a president for over a year. President Michel Sleiman’s term expired in May 2014.
So here’s an idea — elect Valerie as president! You don’t have enough women in politics, anyway.
Once again, Lebanon proves to be the land of irony.
