BEIRUT - Lebanon's Christian army commander Michel Suleiman will be Lebanon's so-called

Suleiman will be Lebanon's 12th president since the country gained its independence in 1943 and the third after the Saudi-brokered Taif Accord which ended Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

General Suleiman, 59, has held his post as commander since 1998. He is seen as a neutral figure in a country where nearly every politician is considered either in the pro- or anti-Syrian camp.

The general was appointed with Syria's approval when Damascus ran Lebanon's political life.

He is credited with keeping the military together in the political upheaval since the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Saad's Hariri's father, in 2005 and the subsequent withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

He is also a staunch supporter of Hezbollah's right to fight Israel and has refused to crush anti-Syrian protests.

But since the war between Hezbollah and Israel in the summer of 2006 and the deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel, Suleiman has distanced himself from all parties and kept the army away from political bickering in the country.

Lebanon's parliament has failed 19 times to elect a president for the country since the former president, pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud, stepped down in November 23, 2007.

Suleiman joined the Lebanese Military Academy as a student officer in 1976.

He graduated from the Military Academy as 2nd Lieutenant in 1970.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political and Administrative Sciences from the Lebanese University. He also holds a Masters in English and French.

He was appointed as army commander on December 21, 1998, succeeding Emile Lahoud after he was elected president.

One of his major quotes is that 'the state exists because the army is the guardian of the structure of this state.'

He is married to Wafaa Suleiman and has three children.

Amsheet, 40 kilometres north of Beirut, where Suleiman is from, was getting prepared Wednesday for festivities connected to the election.

Amsheet Mayor Antoin Issa said that pictures were being put up 'of the new leader of the country Michel Suleiman and the son of Amsheet.'

Posters reading 'the real leader of Lebanon' were erected across Beirut and some people were already distributing sweets to celeberate the election and the end of the political crisis. -DPA