Pita fails in bid to become prime minister

The voting process involved the disclosure and alphabetical listing of the attendees’ names. A total of 646 parliamentarians took part in the meeting — 216 senators and 460 members of the House of Representatives.

After two hours of voting, Parliament decided that Pita had not received the required minimum of 376 votes, therefore, he was not elected as the new prime minister.

Pita secured 324 votes, while 182 voted against him and 199 abstained.

Of the 250 junta-appointed senators, 13 voted for Pita, 39 voted against him, 159 abstained, while one senator had resigned just a day before the voting for PM.

A second and third voting will be held on July 19 and 20.