Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun, widely seen as favored by US and Saudi Arabia, is likely to win, after endorsement by Hezbollah pick Suleiman Frangieh

Lebanese lawmakers are expected to finally elect a president Thursday after more than two years of deadlock, in a much-needed step to help lift the war-battered country out of financial crisis.

Lebanon's parliament will try to elect a president on Thursday, with officials seeing better chances of success in a political landscape shaken by Israel's war with Hezbollah and the toppling of the group's ally Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring Syria.

Lebanon's parliament is set to convene Thursday to attempt to elect a head of state for the 13th time during a more than 2-year-long presidential vacuum. This time, analysts said, they might finally succeed.

Lebanese political heavyweights held talks Wednesday a day ahead of a parliamentary session to elect a president, but even with key player Hezbollah weakened by war, there is no guarantee of consensus.

Lebanon’s fractious parliament will try on Thursday to do something it has failed at a dozen times over the past two years: elect a president. How it works: In Lebanon, parliament chooses the president.

By decimating Hezbollah, weakening Iran, and indirectly contributing to Bashar Assad’s ouster in Syria, Israel has gifted Lebanon with an opportunity to reclaim its sovereignty. Whether Lebanon can seize this moment will be tested on Thursday when its Parliament convenes for the 13th time in over two years to attempt to elect a new president.