BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 9 (UPI) — Lebanon’s 128-member parliament on Thursday elected Army commander Gen. Joseph Aoun as the country’s new president after the post remained vacant for more than 26 months.
Aoun, who failed to secure the required two-thirds majority vote during the first round, won the election by 99 votes during the second round. He was sworn in shortly after the voting ended.
The Shiite allies, Hezbollah and Amal movement, which first cast blank ballots, decided to vote for the army chief during the second round as result of last-minute negotiations led by House Speaker Nabih Berri, who also is the leader of the Amal movement.
Mohamad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said their delay in endorsing Aoun’s candidacy was “a message” to state that his Iran-backed group was the “protector of national accord” in the country.
Aoun’s election was made possible after Hezbollah’s candidate in the presidential elections, Suleiman Frangieh, withdrew Wednesday and announced his endorsement for the Army chief.
In 2016, Frangieh had forced the election of its ally, former Army commander Michel Aoun, after a 29-month vacuum in the presidency.
The militant group has been greatly weakened by a 14-month destructive war with Israel that broke out in October 2023 in support of Gaza and ended with a U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement on Nov. 27.
The Lebanese Army was tasked to implement the agreement based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, backed by U.S. guarantees and an enforced monitoring committee to deal with violations.
Under the 60-day deal, the Israeli Army started to gradually withdraw from occupied parts in southern Lebanon, paving the way for the Lebanese Army and security forces to deploy and take control of the border area.
The Israeli pullout and Lebanese Army take-over should be completed by Jan. 27. Hezbollah will not be allowed to rebuild its infrastructure.
Aoun emerged as a leading candidate for the presidency with more parliamentarians backing him amid firm support from the United States and Saudi Arabia, whose respective envoys — Amos Hochstein and Prince Yazid bin Farhan — visited Beirut this week to help secure his election.
The United States and Saudi Arabia are part of a committee that also includes France, Egypt and Qatar and tasked with helping Lebanon resolve its political crisis and presidential vacuum.
The consensus on Aoun was largely due to his integrity and successful record in leading the military institution during the country’s worst financial crisis and security instability, as well as dealing with numerous challenges, including handling Hezbollah.
He also emerged as a trusted and assuring personality for many international and Arab donors, who continued to provide sorely needed financial and logistical support for the Lebanese Army in a country plagued with corruption.
Aoun, a 61-year-old Christian Maronite from the town of Aishiye in southern Lebanon, has been the Army commander since 2017. His mandate was extended twice after he was set to retire last year. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and international affairs from the Lebanese American University, as well as a bachelor’s in military science.
He is married and has two children. He speaks Arabic, French and English.
