Lebanese MPs to convene to elect new president, no consensus on candidate

Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri will call for a session to elect a new president on Sept. Aoun came to power after a 29-month presidential vacuum in which parliament was unable to agree on electing a president. The stalemate ended with a series of deals that secured victory for Aoun and his powerful Iran-backed ally Hezbollah.

Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri will call for a session to elect a new president on Sept. 29, state media reported, despite no political consensus on a candidate and dim chances of a successful vote.

President Michel Aoun's six-year term ends on Oct. 31, and politicians have voiced concern about no successor being found - warning of even greater institutional deadlock given that Lebanon has also been without a fully functioning government since May. The session will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The votes of two-thirds of lawmakers in the 128-member legislature are required for a candidate to be successful in the first round of voting, after which a simple majority suffices. Aoun came to power after a 29-month presidential vacuum in which parliament was unable to agree on electing a president.

The stalemate ended with a series of deals that secured victory for Aoun and his powerful Iran-backed ally Hezbollah. Aoun is limited to one term, and major political parties have not announced any agreement on his successor.