Lebanon's parliament is set to convene on January 9 to elect a new president, aiming to end a vacancy that has left the country without a head of state for more than two years, AFP reported Thursday, citing official media in Lebanon.
The official National News Agency (NNA) also reported that lawmakers extended the term of army chief General Joseph Aoun, who has been suggested as a potential presidential candidate.
"Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9," NNA said.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022. The political deadlock stems from the inability of the two main blocs—Hezbollah and its allies on one side, and their opponents on the other—to secure the required majority or reach a compromise candidate.
NNA also reported that parliament approved the extension of the mandate of General Joseph Aoun for one year. General Aoun, whose retirement was initially set for January 10, 2024, had already had his term extended last year.
In line with Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system, the presidency is traditionally reserved for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister’s position for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliamentary speaker’s role for a Shiite Muslim.
On Wednesday, after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire began, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed hope for political progress, stating, "I hope this will be a new page for Lebanon. I hope the coming days will lead to the election of a president."
Berri, who facilitated ceasefire negotiations on behalf of Hezbollah, also urged swift action, calling on Lebanon to "quickly elect a president."
Lebanon is no stranger to delays in electing a president. When Michel Aoun was elected in 2016, that ended a two-year period in which Lebanon had no president. During that time, the parliament 33 times failed to elect a new head of state due to lack of a quorum.