An indirect presidential election was held in the Parliament of Lebanon on 25 May 2008,[1] after the term of incumbent President Émile Lahoud expired on 24 November 2007 at midnight.[2][3][4] General Michel Sleiman, the Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, was elected as the consensus candidate after months of delays in holding the election due to an ongoing political dispute.[1]
By convention, the presidency is always attributed to a Maronite Christian personality. Under the article 49 of the Lebanese Constitution, a qualified majority of two-thirds of the members of the 128-seat Lebanese Parliament is required to elect the president. After the second round of election, the president is elected by an absolute majority of 65 MPs out of 128.[5]
