US-backed Army Chief, Joseph Aoun, Elected Lebanon’s New President

Lebanon’s parliament has elected Joseph Aoun, the United States-backed Army Chief, as the country’s new president, breaking a two-year political stalemate that left the nation without a head of state.

The landmark decision followed two rounds of voting on Thursday, with the support of Saudi Arabia and the United States proving pivotal in securing Aoun’s victory.

The election brought to a close the presidential vacuum that began in October 2022, when the tenure of former President Michel Aoun—backed by Iran-supported Hezbollah—came to an end. Negotiations to elect a successor repeatedly failed, exposing deep divisions between Lebanon’s pro-Western and pro-Iranian factions.

The breakthrough came in the wake of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended November 2024’s conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Observers believed the ceasefire expedited the election, as Hezbollah suffered significant setbacks in the war. This included Israeli assaults and the subsequent fall of Iran-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who facilitated the transfer of arms to Hezbollah through Syria and Iraq.

Under the ceasefire terms, the Lebanese Army, led by Joseph Aoun, was tasked with deploying to Hezbollah-dominated areas in southern Lebanon, bordering Israel, while Israeli forces were required to withdraw from Lebanese territory. Although the army did not engage in the war, its role in implementing the agreement solidified its position as a key player in Lebanon’s future stability.

Joseph Aoun, close to both Washington and Riyadh, emerged as a consensus candidate after 12 failed attempts to elect a president over the past two years. His election also underscored the growing influence of Saudi Arabia and the United States in shaping Lebanon’s political landscape.

Lebanon’s confessional power-sharing system mandates that the presidency be held by a Maronite Christian, making Aoun’s ascension consistent with the country’s tradition.