Lebanon’s Parliament Elects US-Backed Army Chief as New President
Lebanon’s parliament has ended a years-long political stalemate and presidential vacuum by electing US-backed army chief Joseph Aoun as the country’s new president. Aoun was voted president after two rounds of voting, with 99 parliamentary votes out of 128 in the second round.
Aoun, who is close to Washington and Riyadh, arrived in parliament to be sworn in dressed in civilian clothing. In his acceptance speech, he 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.
Hezbollah is the best-armed militant group in the Middle East and has wielded influence across at least three countries. However, the group’s influence has been severely weakened by a devastating war with Israel last fall and the downfall of its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December.
The US-brokered ceasefire agreement signed on November 27 stipulates that Hezbollah must withdraw from the border region with Israel, further undermining its military position. Israeli forces are also required to leave Lebanese territory by the end of January under the terms of the agreement.
In his speech, Aoun also raised the specter of a Lebanese “defensive strategy” against Israel – officially classified as an enemy state – without Hezbollah. He stated that his era will include the discussion of a defensive strategy to enable the Lebanese state to get rid of the Israeli occupation and to retaliate against its aggression.
Lebanon had been without a president since the end of the tenure of former President Michel Aoun in October 2022. The former president was backed by Iran-supported Hezbollah. Negotiations over his successor were unsuccessful, reinvigorating tensions between the country’s pro-Western and pro-Iranian camps.
Prior to Thursday’s parliamentary sessions, there were 12 failed attempts to elect a president over the last two years. Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc said they had cast their ballots for Aoun during the second round of voting to promote “national cohesion,” but withheld their votes during the first round to “send a message.”