Lebanon elects army chief as president

The Lebanese parliament on Thursday elected Army Commander Joseph Aoun as the country’s new president.

The development ended a two-year political vacuum and sparked hope for progress in the ailing country.

Aoun, who turns 61 on Friday, arrived at parliament dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, setting aside his military uniform for the occasion.

He received a warm round of applause as he entered to take the presidential oath.

“A new phase in the history of Lebanon begins today,” he declared after his inauguration.

In his hometown of Aishiyeh in southern Lebanon, residents celebrated the news.

Supporters gathered in front of the village church, adorned with Lebanese flags and Aoun’s portrait, cheering as the announcement was made.

“The president is Joseph Aoun,” declared Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, as 99 out of 128 lawmakers voted in favor of Aoun during the second round of voting.

As president, Aoun faces significant challenges, including overseeing a fragile ceasefire on the Israeli border and forming a government to implement critical reforms demanded by international creditors. Lebanon is grappling with the worst economic crisis in its history, marked by soaring inflation, currency devaluation, and widespread poverty.

Aoun becomes Lebanon’s fifth army commander to ascend to the presidency and the fourth consecutive military leader to hold the post. Under Lebanon’s power-sharing system, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, a tradition that also applies to military leadership.

The presidency had been vacant since October 2022, when former President Michel Aoun (no relation to Joseph Aoun) completed his term. Political divisions, particularly between the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and its opponents, had stalled over a dozen attempts to elect a new leader.

Aoun’s election came under intense international scrutiny, with visits from the United States. Saudi, and French envoys pressing for a resolution.

READ ALSO: Israeli airstrike kills 15 in Lebanon

The election was seen as crucial, especially with just 17 days remaining in a ceasefire requiring the deployment of Lebanese troops alongside the United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon following last autumn’s Hezbollah-Israel war.

In the first round of voting on Thursday morning, pro-Hezbollah lawmakers cast blank ballots, leaving Aoun short of the required two-thirds majority. During a break, representatives from the pro-Hezbollah bloc met with Aoun, leading to a breakthrough in the second round of voting.

While Aoun garnered enough support to secure the presidency, dissent was evident. Some lawmakers cast protest votes, including ballots marked with “sovereignty and the constitution,” criticizing foreign influence on the election. Others submitted symbolic votes, including one for former U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

Critics have accused Hezbollah and its allies of obstructing previous elections. However, the group has faced significant setbacks, including heavy losses during last autumn’s war with Israel, which killed its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike.

In Syria, a key ally of Hezbollah, rebels recently ousted President Bashar al-Assad, further diminishing the group’s regional influence.

The Hezbollah-Israel war inflicted over $5 billion in economic losses on Lebanon, according to the World Bank, with structural damage adding billions more to the country’s burden.

Joseph Aoun is widely viewed as a candidate acceptable to international players, including the United States and Saudi Arabia. Pope Francis expressed hope for Lebanon’s stability, urging the country to address its dire economic and social challenges.

While the president’s powers have been reduced since Lebanon’s civil war ended in 1990, Aoun’s election is seen as a crucial step toward forming a government capable of implementing reforms, restoring international confidence, and alleviating the suffering of Lebanon’s people.

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