Lebanon's parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who has U.S. support and showing the weakened sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel.
In a speech to the chamber, Aoun, 60, vowed to work to ensure the state has the exclusive right to carry arms, drawing loud applause as lawmakers from Hezbollah -- which runs its own military forces -- sat still.
He promised to rebuild south Lebanon and other parts of the country he said had been destroyed by Israel, and also to prevent Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which was mired in deep economic and political crises even before the latest conflict. "Today, a new phase in the history of Lebanon begins," he said.
His election reflected shifts in the power balance in Lebanon and the wider Middle East, with Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah badly pummelled from last year's war, and its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad toppled in December.
Additionally, it signaled a resurgence of Saudi power in a nation where Iran and Hezbollah long since overshadowed Riyadh's role.
Gideon Saar, the Israeli Foreign Minister, congratulated Lebanon and expressed his hope that Aoun's election will promote stability and good neighborly relations.
Lisa Johnson, the U.S. ambassador, told Reuters she was "very happy" that Aoun was elected.
The presidency, reserved for a Maronite Christian in Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system, has been vacant since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022, with deeply divided factions unable to agree on a candidate able to win enough votes in the 128-seat parliament.
Hezbollah MPs and the Amal Movement, a Shi'ite ally, supported Joseph Aoun, who received 99 votes in a second round after falling short of the required 86 votes in the first.
Mohammed Raad, a lawmaker representing Hezbollah, claimed that the organization had "sent a message that we are the guardians of national consensus" by postponing their vote for Aoun.
According to three Lebanese political insiders, Aoun gained momentum on Wednesday as Suleiman Frangieh, Hezbollah's long-favored candidate, withdrew and vowed to back the army commander. Additionally, French and Saudi envoys traveled about Beirut, advocating his candidacy in talks with MPs.
French, Saudi, and American envoys informed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a close supporter of Hezbollah, that foreign financial support, especially from Saudi Arabia, depended on Aoun's victory, according to a source close to the Saudi royal court.
"There is a very clear message from the international community that they are ready to support Lebanon, but that needs a president, a government," Christian legislator Michel Mouawad, who voted for Aoun and opposed Hezbollah, told Reuters.
France calls for the establishment of a robust government.
In a nation that hasn't had a head of state or a fully functional cabinet since Aoun left office, his election represents a first step toward rebuilding government institutions.
The World Bank estimates the cost of the war was $8.5 billion, and Lebanon, whose economy is still recovering from a financial meltdown in 2019, is in desperate need of assistance to rebuild.
The mainly Shi'ite districts, where Hezbollah finds support, have sustained the worst damage. Hezbollah has called for international and Arab assistance for Lebanon.
In order to build a new cabinet under Lebanon's current system of governance, Aoun must now hold talks with MPs to choose a Sunni Muslim prime minister. This can be a drawn-out process as different factions vie for ministerial responsibilities.
According to France, the election marked a turning point for Lebanon.
"A strong government" that can "carry out the reforms necessary for Lebanon's economic recovery, stability, security, and sovereignty" must be appointed after this election, according to French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine.
Following the announcement of Aoun's victory, Lebanon's foreign debts, which had been in default since 2020, surged.
Washington and Paris mediated a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel in November, and Aoun has been instrumental in securing it. According to the terms, Hezbollah and Israeli soldiers must evacuate, and the Lebanese army must go into south Lebanon.
His campaign's detractors claimed that outside pressure led to his election. The head of one of the largest Christian factions, MP Gebran Bassil, informed the assembly that numerous lawmakers had been given "instructions from abroad."
However, Christian politician Melhem Riachi, who supported Aoun, claimed that the election signaled the end of the previous era with "an Iranian face." "This is the era of Lebanon's harmony with the international See More..............
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