ISTANBUL

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed Tuesday that a parliamentary session will be held on Jan. 9 to elect a new president.

The state news agency NNA said that the session will be held at 11 a.m. local time (0900GMT).

Lebanon has been without a president since the departure of Michel Aoun, who left office in October 2022.

Since then, the parliament has failed to elect a successor in 13 sessions over two years. The stalemate marks the sixth presidential vacancy in the country’s modern history.

In recent days, diplomatic meetings and domestic political consultations have intensified to foster consensus around a presidential candidate.

Leading contenders include Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, and Marada Movement leader Suleiman Frangieh, an ally of Hezbollah.

Other potential candidates include interim General Security chief Elias Al-Baysari, lawmakers Neemat Frem and Ibrahim Kanaan, and former ministers Jihad Azour, Ziad Baroud, and Jean-Louis Cardahi.

A candidate needs two-thirds of the vote, or 86 lawmakers, to make it through the first stage. An absolute majority is needed in subsequent rounds.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio