Lebanon has chosen Joseph Aoun, the country’s army chief, as its new president, ending a prolonged political stalemate. Aoun emerged as a unifying candidate after his rival, Hezbollah-backed Suleiman Frangieh, withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Aoun.
Aoun secured the presidency in a second round of voting after no candidate achieved the required majority in the first. His election marks a critical step toward restoring political stability in Lebanon, which has been grappling with economic and social crises.
Army chief Joseph Aoun was voted president after two rounds of voting. This came after a robust efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United States to rally support for Aoun, who is close to Washington and Riyadh.
After he was declared president, Aoun effectively stepped down as army chief. He arrived in parliament to be sworn in dressed in civilian clothing.
In his acceptance speech, Aoun hailed the dawn of a “new era” in Lebanon, vowing to disentangle the country from its myriad economic and political crises. He also made a rare promise to “monopolize weapons” under the mandate of the state, a clear allusion to the arsenal of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Renowned for his integrity and ability to maintain strong ties with key Middle Eastern parties, Aoun has proven himself as a capable leader during Lebanon’s turbulent times. His tenure as army chief saw him guiding the military through severe financial hardships, including measures like cutting meat from soldiers’ meals and securing international aid to ensure salaries were paid.
Aoun also played a pivotal role in navigating the delicate ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Under this arrangement, the Lebanese army is set to replace the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in certain areas, a move seen as vital to maintaining regional stability.
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.
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