[3] The Future Movement's former prime minister and parliamentary leader Fouad Siniora had started the process of discussion for the election prior to the government's formation.

[4] In regards to the political instability, Speaker Nabih Berri said: "In order to assure [March 14 groups] that our intentions are good, we do not mind holding the presidential election from now.

[9][10] Jumblatt also called for the return of Saad Hariri, who was in self-imposed exile, in order to "head an all-embracing cabinet to avert further tension and crises."

[18] Similarly, the ninth round failed to attain a quorum while Lebanese Forces MP Strida Geagea said she held rival Christian MPs responsible for the failure to elect a president[19] Berri's spokesman, Mohammad Ballout, read out a statement saying that the election was canceled "over lack of quorum."

[32] After obtaining enough voting pledges for Michel Aoun, Speaker Berri announced that an elective sitting would be held on 31 October 2016.

[35] Geagea challenged Aoun to run against him or move to a "plan B" that would enable a consensual candidate that is not considered partisan as being from either of the two political alliances, which, in addition to the two, are Phalange's Amine Gemayel and Marada Movement's Suleiman Frangieh.

[36] After the sixth round of voting failed, Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan suggested that the president should be directly elected by the people.

At the same time, Geagea added: "The Lebanese people should address the lawmakers that they elected who are obstructing quorum and question the motives behind their action."

Geagea's further response included: "The goal of putting forward a constitutional amendment is to divert attention from the presidential election.

"[41] Future Movement leader Saad Hariri's return from self-imposed exile in Saudi Arabia in August was hailed by some MPs as the impetus needed to break the stalemate.

14 March MP Jean Ogasapian said Hariri "is expected to make tangible progress in the presidential election."

He further noted that in the event of a continued stalemate, he would support the extension of the parliamentary mandate in order to avoid a void in state institutions.

[43] Berri also said he was in talks with Jumblatt to break the deadlock and added that "with every day that passes [without a solution], the presidential crisis becomes more complicated.

"[44] After the 11th round, Bechara Boutros al-Rahi said: "Depriving us from a president is a stab in the core of our dignity and [a betrayal to] the values of Lebanon.

[46] The PSP spokesman Rami Rayyes announced:[47]The Democratic Gathering bloc headed by Jumblatt holds on to its presidential candidate Henry Helou.

[48] After the 13th failure, Geagea accused Hezbollah and FPM of aborting successive attempts alleging: "More than three months have passed without a president, impacting our sovereignty, economy and political situation and placing the whole country in limbo.

[51] Rai warned from Canberra where he was meeting with Eastern church leaders, that Lebanon should not get used to the absence of a Christian president.

[55] As a result, parliament was due to vote the following week on extending its mandate by two years and seven months with a bill proposed by MP Nicolas Fattoush.

Though Berri was initially opposed to motion, he changed his mind after the Future Movement said it would boycott a parliamentary election scheduled for 16 November[clarification needed] in the absence of a president.

Rai also reacted to the failure in saying it was time to use the "stick" and that "both political factions are waiting to see who is victorious: Sunnis or Shiites, Iran or Saudi Arabia, the regime in Syria or the opposition."

Geagea, for his part, added that the failure was tantamount to "overthrowing the Lebanese political system" and would have dire consequences for the country, in particular the Christians.

He also praised Hariri for his moderate stand in regard to the north Lebanon clashes in relation to the Syrian civil war.

It follows Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's comments four days earlier expressing regret over a failure to elect a new president and calling for a new one "without delay.

"[59] Similarly, the International Support Group for Lebanon (ISGL) called for strong work amongst national leaders to quickly elect a new president, while also saying the Tammam Salam government needed to remain functional.

"[60] On a visit surprise to Beirut in early June, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called for the speedy election of a president.

[61] A delegation from the Holy See also visited the country in the end of June to meet with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi.

[64] On the sidelines of the opening of the sixty-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly, the ISGL issued a statement that read there is still an international umbrella protecting Lebanon.

International players would limit their work to getting influential countries to pressure their allies to facilitate electing a president but that the deadlock was less complicated than the Syrian or regional conflicts.

[65] Saudi Arabia said a US$3 billion grant for arms, signed along with France, was pending approval after the election of a new president to get assurances Hezbollah would not benefit.

[66] French Ambassador Patrice Paoli said that a new president was needed who had strong ties with the variety of political parties and that his country maintained an open dialogue with all groups, including the Western-banned Hezbollah.