President Izhak Ben-Zvi was elected by Parliament here today to a third five-year term. He will be sworn into office in ceremonies here tomorrow.
The 78-year-old Zionist veteran was the candidate of the parties making up the present coalition Government. He received 62 votes from the 104 members who cast ballots. A total of 42 ballots from members of the opposition parties were blank, as an indication of the conviction of those deputies that a President should not serve more than two terms. The blank ballots were the means by which the opposition deputies could express their rejection of a third term on principle, without voting against Mr. Ben-Zvi as an individual admired by all parties. Sixteen members were absent.
The opposition did not offer a candidate for that reason. The vote will formally be recorded as one in which Mr. Ben-Zvi was re-elected uncontested and unopposed.
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