Lebanon parliament to meet on January 9 to elect president

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s parliament will meet on January 9 to elect a new president, seeking to end more than two years without a head of state, official media reported Thursday, a day after an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire began.

“Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9,” the official National News Agency reported.

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Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022, with neither of the two main blocs - the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its opponents - having the majority required to elect one, and unable to reach a consensus.

On Wednesday after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said: “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 led ceasefire talks on behalf of ally Hezbollah, also called Wednesday for the country to “quickly elect a president”.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said in a speech earlier this month that after the war, Hezbollah would “bring an effective contribution to the election of a president”.

By convention, the presidency goes to a Maronite Christian, the premiership is reserved for a Sunni and the post of parliament speaker goes to a Shiite.