Lebanon elects ‘US-approved’ army chief as president

Beirut
Lebanon’s parliament elected General Joseph Aoun as president on Thursday, ending over two years of political deadlock.
Aoun, the US-approved army chief, secured 99 votes in the second round of voting, overcoming the initial 86-vote threshold needed to win, with the backing of Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement.
This election signifies a shift in Lebanon’s political landscape, as the once-dominant Iran-backed Hezbollah group sees its influence wane. The group has suffered significant losses in the recent war with Israel, and its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad’s position was weakened by his December ouster.
Additionally, Aoun’s election is seen as a rebirth of Saudi influence in Lebanon, where Riyadh’s role had been overshadowed by Iran and Hezbollah in recent years.
The presidency, reserved for a Maronite Christian under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system, had been vacant since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022. Political divisions had delayed the election, with factions unable to agree on a candidate.
However, momentum behind Joseph Aoun grew significantly after Hezbollah’s preferred candidate, Suleiman Frangieh, withdrew and endorsed the army commander.
The push for Aoun’s election was further supported by diplomatic efforts from French and Saudi envoys, who met with Lebanese politicians in the lead-up to the vote.
According to sources, they conveyed that international financial aid, including from Saudi Arabia, was contingent on Aoun’s election. Christian lawmaker Michel Mouawad, who voted for Aoun, confirmed that Saudi Arabia expressed its support for the candidate.
Aoun’s victory is viewed as a crucial step toward restoring Lebanon’s weakened government institutions.
With Lebanon’s economy still reeling from the financial collapse of 2019, the new president’s primary challenge will be to stabilise the country and secure international assistance for reconstruction. The World Bank has estimated the cost of rebuilding Lebanon’s war-torn infrastructure at $8.5 billion.
The Lebanese political system mandates that the new president engage in consultations to nominate a Sunni Muslim prime minister and form a new cabinet, a process often bogged down by sectarian negotiations.
As commander of the Lebanese army since 2017, Joseph Aoun played a pivotal role in navigating Lebanon through internal challenges, including the national financial crisis and the violent war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Despite Hezbollah’s deep reservations about his candidacy, Aoun kept the army neutral during the conflict, which claimed the lives of more than 40 Lebanese soldiers but did not escalate into direct clashes between the army and Israel.
Aoun, 60, has maintained a low profile in public and has rarely addressed his views on Hezbollah’s military capabilities, though he has expressed a desire to limit political interference in the army’s operations.
His election marks a significant moment in Lebanon’s history, with both regional and international stakeholders closely watching how he will navigate the nation’s fraught political and economic realities in the years ahead.
In his new role, Aoun will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the ceasefire brokered by Washington and Paris in November, which involves the Lebanese military deploying to southern Lebanon as part of the terms of withdrawal for both Israeli and Hezbollah forces.