Sleiman Frangieh, next President of Lebanon?

Sleiman Frangieh, the 50-year-old Lebanese lawmaker is being talked about as a credible presidential candidate under an emerging deal that could end the country's 18-month-long political crisis. 

After months of political bickering that brought the Lebanese state to near complete paralysis, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri tossed Frangieh's name in the ring following a meeting between the two men in Paris two weeks ago. 

The deadlock and paralysis reached its peak during the summer, when the country was shaken by the largest protests in years

For a year and a half since President Michel Suleiman stepped down after his six-year-term ended, Lebanon has been without a head of state as lawmakers repeatedly failed to agree on a consensus president.

According to the country's power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shia Muslim.

The two main party blocks continued to reject each other's presidential candidates, despite 32 parliament sessions called for by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to elect a president.

The deadlock and paralysis reached its peak during the summer, when the country was shaken by the largest protests in years over the government's inability to find a solution to Lebanon's ongoing trash problem.

The demonstrations quickly developed into protests against the entire political establishment.

Regional backing

The Frangieh bid is likely to be, at least in part, a result of regional cooperation that recently brought together foes Iran and Saudi Arabia to the table in Vienna in an effort to find a political settlement for Syria.

Despite Frangieh's close ties with the Syrian regime and his continued personal relationship with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Saudi ambassador to Beirut expressed his support for Frangieh's nomination on Thursday while stressing that the nomination was a Lebanese decision that Saudi had no hand in.

Sources close to the Iranian embassy in Beirut have told al-Araby al-Jadeed that the Iranians are also happy with the nomination and so is Hizballah.

Hizballah has not announced its support for Frangieh's nomination however, because they have not managed to convince General Michel Aoun, who was the candidate backed by the group, according to informed sources.

Frangieh hails from a well-known political family from northern Lebanon, whose grandfather - the man whose name he carries - was a former Lebanese president.

The presidential candidate was a close friend of the late Bassel Assad, the brother of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad whom he keeps in touch with to this day.

Frangieh is also a supporter of the Hizballah group and once said that the next generation would envy this one for "living in the days of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah," Hizballah's leader.

Compromise deal

If the deal goes through, Frangieh could be elected by Parliament on 13 December, when lawmakers gather for the next session to vote

Under the reported deal struck in Paris, Hariri, a Sunni leader who has been in self-imposed exile for security concerns, would return to Lebanon as prime minister.

Hariri hasn't publicly nominated Frangieh for president. But asked about it by reporters in Paris on Thursday where he met with French President Francois Hollande, Hariri said there is "great hope for Lebanon" to end the presidential vacuum.

On Wednesday, Frangieh visited influential Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt, who lent him his support. Jumblatt on Thursday thanked the Saudi ambassador for his support for Frangieh's nomination and called on Hariri to publically declare his initiative.

However, there are still hurdles to be overcome.

Frangieh's bid for presidency faces resistance from his own Christian community. Christian leader Michel Aoun, has not said whether he would be willing to relinquish his candidacy.

Other Christian groups oppose Frangieh's bid and are angered that a Muslim politician - Hariri - would end up choosing the head of state.

If the deal goes through, Frangieh could be elected by Parliament on 13 December, when lawmakers gather for the next session to vote.