Lebanese Parliament Chooses Army Chief Joseph Aoun as President
Lebanese Parliament Chooses Army Chief Joseph Aoun as President
Lebanon’s military leader, Joseph Aoun, has been chosen as the new president, bringing to an end a power vacuum that persisted for over two years. Aoun received 99 votes from the 128-member parliament during a second round of voting on Thursday afternoon, a decision that followed a fragile ceasefire agreement that ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah as the nation seeks assistance for rebuilding efforts. “Today marks the beginning of a new era in Lebanon’s history,” the 60-year-old Aoun remarked to the assembly after taking the oath of office.
Joseph Aoun’s triumph, which prompted members of the parliament to cheer as he secured the necessary 86 votes, marked the 13th occasion on which the legislature attempted to appoint a successor to Michel Aoun – who is not related to him – after his term concluded in October 2022. “The election of Joseph Aoun undoubtedly signifies the start of a new era in Lebanon,” stated Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting live from Beirut. “The international community certainly favors Joseph Aoun; however, he also has strong backing locally.” She pointed out that the power dynamics in Lebanon had changed, highlighting that Israel’s conflict with Lebanon had “weakened” Hezbollah.
“This nation requires billions in reconstruction funding, but that financial support will only arrive once Lebanon elects a president deemed reform-oriented by the international community, separate from what they view as a corrupt political elite,” she stated. In his inaugural address, Aoun emphasized the importance of “constructing” the nation and its military while conveying that no one had been “defeated.” “This is a nation characterized by significant … political and sectarian divisions. If any community feels excluded, then civil peace cannot be achieved. This country cannot operate effectively without consensus,“ Khodr remarked.
Daunting remit
The Mediterranean nation had lacked a president since Michel Aoun’s term expired in October 2022, with conflicts between Hezbollah and its adversaries derailing numerous prior voting attempts. In the initial round of voting earlier that day, legislators from the pro-Hezbollah coalition cast blank ballots, according to a source associated with them, leaving Aoun without the necessary two-thirds majority to secure an outright victory.
According to the source, representatives from the bloc met with Aoun at the parliament during a recess before the lawmakers reconvened for a second vote. Growing international pressure has called for a successful conclusion, with only 17 days left in a ceasefire intended to allow Lebanese troops to be deployed alongside United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. Aoun is now confronted with the challenging responsibilities of managing the ceasefire and appointing a prime minister to spearhead the reforms required by international creditors to help resolve the country’s most severe economic crisis.
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