Lebanon’s parliament has elected Joseph Aoun, the widely supported army commander, as president after 12 failed attempts over the past two years.
Thursday’s vote, conducted in two rounds, ended the long-standing presidential vacancy since former President Michel Aoun’s term concluded on October 31, 2022.
In the first round of voting, Aoun secured 71 out of 128 votes but fell short of the two-thirds majority required for an outright victory. The remaining votes included 37 blank ballots and 14 cast for “sovereignty and the constitution.” Chaotic scenes marked the early session, with lawmakers shouting over one another. Ultimately, Aoun’s candidacy prevailed due to significant support from Lebanon’s key allies, including the United States and Saudi Arabia, as well as backing from Hezbollah.
Suleiman Frangieh, a Christian party leader with close ties to Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and a former candidate for the presidency, withdrew from the race on Wednesday and endorsed Aoun. This move helped clear the path for Aoun’s election, a critical step for Lebanon as it seeks to rebuild following a 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Joseph Aoun’s candidacy required a waiver of a constitutional ban on sitting army commanders ascending to the presidency. This ban has been waived twice before, including during Aoun’s election. As Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system often leads to prolonged political deadlock, this election marks a rare breakthrough.
Other contenders in the race included Jihad Azour, a former finance minister and current director at the International Monetary Fund, and Elias al-Baysari, the acting head of Lebanon’s General Security agency.
The election ends a fraught two-year period marked by economic crisis and political instability, with Aoun now tasked with navigating Lebanon’s complex domestic and international challenges.
