Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed on Wednesday that Lebanon cannot have a confrontational presidential nominee, urging an agreement on a consensual candidate to end the deadlock in the country's top post.

"I don't see an end to the (presidential) crisis because both nominees are confrontational. They have to understand that neither of them can be a confrontational candidate,” Jumblat said in an interview on Al-Jazeera television on Wednesday evening.

Officials involved in the negotiations on the presidential deadlock have discussed several options, including a deal on a compromise Maronite candidate, to resolve the crisis, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The daily said that the officials could demand Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to pressure the current candidates to withdraw their nominations.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi condemned on Sunday the ongoing vacuum in the presidency, describing it as a “great shame”.

He urged during his Sunday sermon Speaker Nabih Berri to “hold daily parliamentary sessions to stage the presidential elections in order to end the vacuum in the presidency.”

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea has accused his rival Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun of deceiving the public and creating a media stir to win the backing of the rival Lebanese parties for the country's top Christian post.

“Aoun hasn't proposed a serious initiative. He made a media stir to pressure the Lebanese parties into electing him a president,” Geagea told al-Joumhouria daily in an interview published on Friday.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea deemed on Wednesday Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's proposal of a constitutional amendment to end the presidential elections deadlock as a “distraction”, saying more pressing matters are at hand.

He said during a press conference: “We should hold the parliamentary elections if the legislature's term ends and even if a president is not elected.”

Lawmakers failed in the eighth consecutive round on Wednesday to elect a new head of state, widening the country's political crisis and threatening the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Speaker Nabih Berri set a new session for July 23 after the legislative session on the election of a president was marred by lack of quorum caused by a large number of boycotting MPs.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Tuesday lawmakers who have been boycotting the presidential elections to attend Wednesday's session and exercise their duties towards the people.

He said in an open letter to the “boycotting MPs”: “I call on you to head to parliament instead of wasting time on illusory proposals.”

Bkirki is engaged in a battle to elect a new head of state only and rejects to interfere in details that impede the poll as the Maronite Patriarch is holding onto his decision that all matters should be postponed until the parliament selects a president.

A source close to Bkirki refused to comment on Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun's proposal.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea is keen to hold the parliamentary elections and avoid the extension of parliament's tenure for a second time, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.

It said that he strongly advocates holding the polls for “constitutional reasons,” adding that he has started his consultations with March 14 camp parties, namely the Mustaqbal Movement, to that end.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated on Wednesday that efforts are ongoing to end the deadlock over the presidential elections, saying that the latest of such steps took place during his meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Tuesday, reported the Central News Agency.

He told the news agency: “Bkirki should call on Christian lawmakers, not just Maronites, and heads of other Christian sects to convene before al-Rahi, who should hold them to their responsibilities.”