This Thursday, January 9, 2025, the new president of Lebanon was elected. He is the head of the country's army, Joseph Aoun.
The commander-in-chief of the Lebanese army, General Joseph Aoun, was elected Thursday by Lebanese deputies to the presidency of the country, a position vacant since October 2022 and the end of Michel Aoun's term. The favorite of the vote, the officer supported by Washington was elected in the second round with 99 votes, according to the speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri.
Hezbollah deputies and their Shiite allies of the Amal movement gave him their votes. In total, 86 votes were necessary for his election. This result reflects the changes in the balance in the Middle East marked by a weakening of Hezbollah after the Israeli military campaign and the fall of Bashar al Assad in Syria.
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Joseph Aoun emerged as the frontrunner after Hezbollah candidate Soleiman Frangieh stepped aside to back the army commander. A source close to the Saudi royal family reported that French, American and Saudi emissaries informed Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, that international aid to Lebanon was conditional on the election of Joseph Aoun.
“There is a clear message from the international community that it is ready to support Lebanon, but that there is a need for a president, a government,” Michel Mouawad, a Maronite lawmaker opposed to Hezbollah who supported Joseph Aoun, told Reuters before the vote. “We received a message of support from Saudi Arabia,” he added. The post of president is reserved for a Maronite Christian under the system of power-sharing between religious communities.
Israeli reaction
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed hope on Thursday that the election of the new Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, will contribute to the “stability” of the country and to “good relations between neighbors.”
“I congratulate Lebanon on the election of a new president after a long political crisis. I hope that this choice will contribute to stability, a better future for Lebanon and his people, and good relations between neighbors”, he wrote on the social network X.