Lebanon's parliament is set to end more than two years of stalemate on Monday by electing a new president for a non-renewable six-year term.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri urged everyone to cooperate for the well interest of Lebanon, pointing to a new leaf that will be opened on Monday after the election of a head of state to fill the longtime vacuum.

“The country is on the threshold of a new phase, and I hope that everyone cooperates for the well interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese,” said Hariri after meeting Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam received in separate meetings at the Grand Serail on Saturday Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh and Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri.

Hariri briefed Salam on the preparations for the electoral session scheduled for Monday to elect a president.

Senior Hizbullah official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq stressed on Saturday that the Saudi sanctions against Hizbullah have failed to weaken the party, the state-run National News Agency reported on Saturday.

Hizbullah has not expressed commitment so far to name al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri for the premiership and the formation of the new government, as speculations believe that it could be keeping it for the last minute, Ad-Diyar daily reported on Saturday.

The daily quoted Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who had urged for a comprehensive agreement and said: “Let a comprehensive agreement with regard to the presidency, premier and the formation of a government be reached.” But the truth is that no one in Hizbullah has named Hariri so far, added Ad-Diyar.

Some serious efforts are underway to convince Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh to withdraw his nomination from the presidential race, al-Akhbar daily reported on Saturday.

The daily said that some “unnamed” parties are “testing the waters” and coordinating efforts with the Free Patriotic Movement, of presidential hopeful MP Michel Aoun, to find a way to make Franjieh withdraw his candidacy before Monday's election session.

Lebanon's parliament is set to end more than two years of stalemate on Monday by electing ex-general Michel Aoun as president, but the vote is unlikely to heal deep political divisions.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri announced Friday that the election of a new Lebanese president on Monday will be “a victory for Saudi Arabia and all Arabs,” while admitting that the formation of the new government will be “difficult.”

Free Patriotic Movement founder and leading presidential candidate MP Michel Aoun met Friday evening in Beirut with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat held talks Friday evening in Ain el-Tineh with Speaker Nabih Berri, around an hour before an expected meeting between him and Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun.