Lebanon may have a new president by the weekend and with him, a political breakthrough in the year long cabinet crisis.

The majority coalition governing Lebanon, the March 14th forces, have dropped their opposition to a constitutional amendment that would allow a serving army commander to assume the office of president, clearing the way for a compromise candidate acceptable to all sides; Lebanon's sphinx like Commanding General Michel Suleiman:

Suleiman is seen as a uniting figure, who both the US-backed majority in Lebanon and the pro-Syrian opposition - as well as outside players - can back.

All sides appear to view him, at least for now, as a relatively neutral player who can guarantee that no side in Lebanon's fractured politics dominates the other. Houry, a legislator with the Future Movement of Saad Hariri, said the bloc had reversed its previous stand against amending the constitution to elect a sitting army commander.

"We declare our acceptance to amend the constitution in order to reach consensus on the name of the army commander, Gen. Michel Suleiman," he said. Hariri is effectively the leader of Lebanon's parliamentary majority, and his support is tantamount to the majority's acceptance.

Houry's statement described Suleiman as "symbol of the unity of the military establishment which has given martyrs and blood in defense of the nation against the enemy and against those who threatened civil peace."

Suleiman is also respected by Hizbullah, which is leading the opposition, suggesting that after months of being unable to elect a new leader, the republic may once more have a president.