Lebanon Chooses Army Chief Joseph Aoun as President After Years of Gridlock

Lebanon’s MPs have elected Army Chief Joseph Aoun as the new President after 12 failed attempts. The presidency has been vacant since October 2022 and the country has been without a leader as financial and social issues mount. Lebanon is at a crossroads, stuck in political paralysis and economic chaos.

Joseph Aoun got 99 votes in the 128 seat parliament in the second round of voting after a fragile ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hezbollah after 14 months of conflict. In his speech he said nation building and unity and that no one had been “defeated,” according to the reports.

In the first round of voting pro-Hezbollah MPs cast blank votes and Joseph Aoun fell short of the two thirds majority needed to win. But during the break the MPs from the bloc met with Aoun at parliament before the second round of voting and he won.

Who Is Joseph Aoun?

Joseph Aoun has been the commander of the Lebanese army since 2017 & has been elected as the new president, the fifth army commander to hold the post. He never announced his candidacy.

He has been through a lot during his tenure as army chief including the Lebanese financial crisis which affected soldiers salaries. In 2017 he led an operation to clear Islamic State militants from the Syrian border and the US ambassador praised the army’s success. His term was extended twice during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Joseph Aoun is responsible for the success of the 60 day ceasefire brokered by the US and France. This involves the deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon as Israeli and Hezbollah forces withdraw.