“I sought consensus and I was chosen,” Dakkash told The Associated Press.

By agreeing on Dakkash, 72, a soft-spoken physician who had served 28 years in parliament, the factions averted a political confrontation over what should have been a hotly contested seat.

The move served to keep the country focused on a national conference that began in the parliament building March 2. The “national dialogue” aims to reach agreement on the fate of the pro-Syrian president, Emile Lahoud, and the U.N. call for the disarmament of the Hezbollah guerrilla group. Some anti-Syrian groups want Lahoud ousted and Hezbollah disarmed.

Dakkash said his election should help the conference.

“I think the consensus in such a highly sensitive district will definitely affect the results of the national dialogue,” he said.

His last remaining opponent, political novice Pierre Hashash, withdrew on Thursday.

Several high-profile figures, such as TV anchorwoman May Chidiac and politician Dory Chamoun, had declared their intention to run in the by-election. Chidiac was maimed last year in an assassination attempt.

But they backed out after Christian political leaders Michel Aoun of the Free Patriotic Movement and Samir Geagea of the Lebanese Forces agreed on Dakkash.

A battle in Aley-Baabda would have pitted the forces of Aoun, who is allied to the pro-Syrian Shiite Muslim Hezbollah, against those of Geagea and his ally, Walid Jumblatt, the political leader of Lebanon’s Druse.

The election was called after the death of the incumbent Edmond Naim in January.

Dakkash, who failed in his bid for the seat in last year’s general elections, was first elected to parliament in 1972. He was among the group of legislators who traveled to Saudi Arabia to negotiate the Taif Accord of 1989, which led to the end of the 1975-90 civil war. He opposed the accord and left Taif without endorsing it . (AP)