Lebanon’s parliament has elected the country’s army chief as president, ending a power vacuum that has lasted more than two years.
Joseph Aoun’s candidacy was supported by several political parties, as well as the USA, France and Saudi Arabia.
A rival backed by the Hezbollah militia backed down on Wednesday and backed the commander.
The presidency is a largely ceremonial role reserved for Christians in a sectarian power-sharing system.
The election came six weeks after the Lebanese government agreed to a ceasefire to end the devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah, which has significantly weakened the Iran-backed Shiite Muslim group.
The Lebanese army was not involved in the conflict and has a key role under the cease-fire agreement, which requires it to deploy troops in southern Lebanon while Israeli troops withdraw and to ensure that Hezbollah ends its armed presence there by January 26.
Aoun (60) is a career soldier who has been the commander of the army since 2017.
During that time, he led the institution through the deep crises that hit Lebanon.
They include the 13-month conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, a six-year economic depression that is one of the worst on record in the modern era, and an explosion in the port of Beirut in 2020 that killed more than 200 people.
Lebanon has not had a properly functioning government since the last parliamentary elections in May 2022.
Interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati failed to secure support for a new cabinet before then-President Michel Aoun’s term expired that October, leaving his administration with reduced powers.
The deputies then failed to elect a new president on 12 occasions. The last time was in June 2023, when no candidate secured enough votes to win in the first round before Hezbollah and its ally Amal prevented a second round by walking out.
A presidential candidate in Lebanon can usually be elected in the first round if he receives a two-thirds majority – or 86 votes – in the 128-seat parliament, or a simple majority in the second round. However, Speaker Nabih Berri said Aoun needed a two-thirds majority in any round because he is the current military commander.
In the first round held on Thursday morning, 71 MPs voted for Aoun, 15 short of what he requested. Another 37 MPs – many of them reportedly from Hezbollah and Amal – voted with blank ballots, while 20 ballots were declared invalid.
Berri, who is the leader of Amal, then adjourned the session until the afternoon, sparking anger among MPs who wanted the run-off to take place immediately.
In the end, Aoun was elected president after receiving 99 votes in the second round, easily achieving the required two-thirds majority. Nine deputies voted with blank ballots, along with 18 invalid ballots.
As soon as the announcer announced the result, TV channels showed scenes of celebration across the country.
Aoun was later shown arriving at the parliament building in a suit, then inspecting guards before entering the chamber to take the oath.
