Lebanon’s fractured parliament overcame more than two years of gridlock on Thursday to elect a new president, a key step toward restoring stability in a country struggling to recover from an economic disaster and a devastating war.
Lawmakers elected General Joseph Aoun, commander of the Lebanese army, by a landslide in a second round of voting, with 99 votes in the 128-seat parliament, after he failed to reach the required number of votes in the first round. It was a breakthrough in the effort to form a government after more than two years weak guardian rule.
“Today begins a new phase in the history of Lebanon,” General Aoun said during his victory speech.
The vote was seen as a key turning point for Lebanon, and people in Beirut, the capital, celebrated with fireworks and gunfire when the results became clear. The crisis-hit nation has suffered a series of disasters in recent years, including economic collapse and a war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that has left large areas in ruins.
Thursday’s election – which has often been marred by conflict – also reflected a shifting balance of power in the region and came at an uneasy time for Lebanon. In neighboring Syria, an untested government is trying to chart a way forward after years of civil war. The fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the military defeat of Hezbollah, the militia that had long been Lebanon’s dominant political force, also meant a sudden loss of power for their patron Iran.
Lebanon’s international backers, including the United States, have implied that post-war financial support is contingent on the election of a president. According to the World Bank, the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended during a a fragile 60-day ceasefirehe caused 8.5 billion dollars damages and losses in Lebanon.
Since October 2022, when Michel Aoun stepped down as president at the end of his six-year term, Parliament has voted unsuccessfully 12 times on a replacement. According to Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing agreement, the president must be a Maronite Christian.
Hezbollah was the main obstacle in the way, stealing votes by leaving the House of Representatives. But the group was deeply weakened war with Israel, and analysts noted that she probably felt she had to make concessions because of the scale of Lebanon’s financial needs.
Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc remains strong and could have thwarted General Aoun’s election, but ended up throwing its weight behind him on Thursday. The group’s candidate dropped out ahead of the election, which was an expected move. Analysts said the war left Hezbollah with little room for political maneuvering.
“He epitomizes the change in the balance of power in Lebanon,” said Mohanad Hage Ali, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut.
General Aoun is expected to appoint a prime minister, in agreement with parliament, and the prime minister – who must be a Sunni Muslim – will then form a government. With no faction having a majority, it is unclear how long this will last. General Aoun said he would seek consultations as soon as possible.
Analysts believe that the new president, who is not related to Michel Aoun, has the support of the US and is highly respected in Lebanon. He has led the armed forces since 2017, and they are the only national institution that enjoys cross-sectoral support.
“The entire Lebanese political elite sees him as an acceptable figure,” said Lina Khatib, a fellow at Chatham House, a London-based think tank. “This is related to the perception in Lebanon that the Lebanese army is an institution working in the national interest.”
The US and Saudi ambassadors attended Thursday’s vote, along with France’s special envoy to Lebanon and other foreign diplomats. The vote was preceded by a series of diplomatic efforts, including a visit earlier this week by Amos Hochstein, the top US envoy to the region, who met with General Aoun and urged lawmakers to break the political deadlock.
The election of General Aoun, who will resign as army chief, will require a constitutional amendment, a move that had precedent but led to a heated debate in parliament. Senior civil servants must resign two years before running for public office.
Dozens of lawmakers cast protest votes in the first round, including one for “Joseph Amos Bin Farhan,” mixing General Aoun’s name with that of US and Saudi envoys that reflected anger among some lawmakers at international influence.
Diplomats said they hoped General Aoun’s military career would allow him to further influence the military and fully implement the UN Security Council. Resolution 1701 — the 2006 accord that ended Israel’s previous war with Hezbollah but failed to keep the peace. They hope it will be a blueprint for longer-term peace once the current ceasefire ends.
During his victory speech, General Aoun promised that only the Lebanese state would have weapons, which drew applause from parliament. Israeli officials said they hoped the Lebanese army would crush Hezbollah’s activities in southern Lebanon.
“I hope this election will contribute to stability, a better future for Lebanon and its people, and good neighborly relations,” Gideon Saar, Israel’s foreign minister, said on social media.
Addressing the parliament and the nation, General Aoun tried to reassure the Lebanese people that he would help restore stability in the country, promising to strengthen the state and fight corruption. He also spoke directly about the devastation of Israel’s war with Hezbollah.
“My promise is that I will rebuild what Israel destroyed,” he said.
Aaron Boxerman contributed reporting.
