Mr Pita received 311 votes in favour from MPs and 148 against, with 39 abstentions. It is not yet clear whether the name of the Move Forward leader will be put forward again on one or both occasions. “We accept the result, but we are not retreating,” Mr Pita told reporters shortly after the results were announced. The voting at the joint sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate followed six hours of debate on the qualifications of Mr Pita, the sole candidate. The session saw 705 out of 749 parliamentarians (one senator resigned on Wednesday) confirming their attendance for the vote.
