Permet, Jun 4 (AP) Albania's parliament elected its top military official as the country's new president on Saturday after no candidates were nominated in three rounds of voting.

Gen.-Maj. Bajram Begaj won the post after the 140-seat Parliament voted 78 in favor, four against and one abstained.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: 14 Million Ukrainians Flee Homes Amid Conflict, Says UN.

The governing left-wing Socialist Party nominated and voted for Begaj, 55, after failing to reach a compromise with the opposition on a candidate to replace President Ilir Meta, and no independent candidate was nominated.

Most of the opposition voted against Begaj while another party boycotted the voting.

Also Read | US Keeps Pakistan As 'Country of Particular Concern' for Religious Freedom.

Begaj is post-communist Albania's eighth president and the third from the military ranks.

The five-year presidency has a largely ceremonial role and the chosen candidate expected to stand above partisan divisions. It holds some authority over the judiciary and the armed forces and is limited to two terms. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)