Lawmakers in crisis-hit Lebanon on Wednesday failed for a 12th time to elect a new president, with bitter divisions between the powerful Hezbollah and its opponents marring the vote. Lebanon has been without a head of state for more than seven months, and the previous attempt to elect a president was held on January 19. The vote for the presidency, reserved for a Maronite Christian under Lebanon’s delicate sectarian power-sharing system, pitted the Sleiman Frangieh against financial official Jihad Azour, who has mainly been endorsed by Christian and independent legislators. But neither had enough support to get across the line, with Azour garnering 59 votes and Frangieh 51 in the 128-seat parliament. All lawmakers showed up for the election, but many left the chamber after placing their ballots in the box and quorum was lost before a second round of voting — where the winner only requires 65 ballots — was able to go ahead. Hezbollah member of Parliament Hassan Fadlallah said only “consensus” would bring about a successful presidential election. “We don’t impose (a candidate) on others, and we don’t want them to impose (one) on us,” Fadlallah told reporters before Wednesday’s session. Analysts said the vote risked further entrenching a political stalemate, dimming hopes of saving the economy after three years of meltdown. “At this stage, the most likely scenario is a prolonged vacuum,” analyst Karim Bitar said. The international community has urged politicians to elect a consensus presidential candidate who can help the country enact reforms required to unlock billions of dollars in loans from abroad. On top of lacking a president, Lebanon has been governed by a caretaker cabinet with limited powers for more than a year.