Lebanon’s fractured Parliament overcame more than two years of gridlock on Thursday to choose a new president, a critical step toward bringing stability to a country attempting to recover from economic catastrophe and a devastating war.

Lawmakers elected Gen. Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese military, in the second round of voting, after he failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority in the initial vote. It marked a breakthrough toward forming a government with a mandate to lead the country after more than two years of stalemate under weak caretaker rule.

The vote was seen as a crucial milestone for Lebanon, which has endured a series of disasters in recent years, including an economic collapse and a war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that has left large parts of the country in ruins.

The election Thursday — which frequently descended into shouting matches — also came at an unnerving time for Lebanon and the wider region.

In neighboring Syria, an untested new government is attempting to chart a path forward and rebuild after years of civil war. The fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the defeat of Hezbollah mean a sudden loss of power for their patron, Iran.

Lebanon’s international backers, including the United States, have implied that postwar financial support is contingent on the election of a president. According to the World Bank, the Israel-Hezbollah war, which has been suspended during a fragile 60-day cease-fire, has cost Lebanon $8.5 billion in damages.