Keystone-SDA
The commander-in-chief of the Lebanese army, General Joseph Aoun, affirmed that a “new era” was dawning after his election as head of the country, which ended a vacancy of more than two years which worsened economic and political crises.
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January 9, 2025 – 4:19 p.m.
(Keystone-ATS) “Today begins a new era in the history of Lebanon,” declared Mr. Aoun after taking the oath in Parliament, to the applause of deputies.
Mr. Aoun, who turns 61 on Friday, has committed to rapid consultations to appoint a prime minister to bring the country out of political paralysis.
He promised to respect the truce agreement with Israel, after the deadly war which pitted the Israeli army against the pro-Iranian Hezbollah until the end of November, and assured that the State would now have “a monopoly on arms”.
Paris congratulated Mr. Aoun and hoped that Lebanon would have a “strong government”, while the American embassy in Lebanon said it was committed to working “in close collaboration” with the new president.
The UN representative for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, estimated that this election was “a long-awaited first step to overcome the political and institutional void in Lebanon”.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed hope that the election of Joseph Aoun would contribute to “good relations between neighbors”.
Tehran, for its part, welcomed the election of the new president, hoping that the two countries will cooperate to serve their “common interests”, indicated the Iranian embassy in Lebanon on the social network X.
99 votes
Joseph Aoun received 99 votes out of 128 in Parliament during a second session in the afternoon. He obtained only 71 votes in the first round of voting in the morning, the 30 deputies from the pro-Iranian Hezbollah and its ally, the Shiite Amal movement, having voted blank.
But a meeting in Parliament between representatives of the two parties and the commander-in-chief of the army between the two rounds changed the situation, ensuring him the majority necessary to win.
The president-elect, in civilian clothes, entered the chamber to applause to take the oath.
The candidacy of Mr. Aoun, who has a reputation for probity and impartiality, was supported by the United States and Saudi Arabia, a regional heavyweight, according to Lebanese political leaders.
Ambassadors from several countries as well as the French envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, attended the parliamentary session.
-Diplomatic pressure has intensified on parliamentarians to push them to choose the commander-in-chief of the army.
Hezbollah, a key player on the political scene, emerged weakened after two months of war with Israel and the fall in early December of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, its ally.
Under Lebanon’s confessional power-sharing system, the presidency of Lebanon is reserved for a Maronite Christian.
Lebanon had a presidential system but the powers of the head of state were largely reduced by the Taef agreement which ended the civil war (1975-1990) in favor of the Council of Ministers chaired by a Muslim. Sunni.
Key role
Since the end of the mandate of the outgoing president, Michel Aoun (no relation to the commander-in-chief of the army), in October 2022, Parliament has failed to elect a president.
Analysts say the army’s key role in implementing the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which came into force on November 27, was a determining factor in Joseph Aoun’s rise to power. presidency.
This election was held after a serious setback inflicted by Israel on Hezbollah in the war between them, notably killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
The ceasefire agreement provides for the deployment of the Lebanese army in border areas as the Israeli army withdraws from areas it occupied during the conflict.
Hezbollah must withdraw its troops and dismantle all military infrastructure in the region.
The United States, France and the UN supervise the mechanism for implementing the ceasefire.
Joy
In Aïchiyé, the army commander’s native village in southern Lebanon, the residents expressed their joy, noted an AFP correspondent.
Portraits of General Aoun adorned the streets, accompanied by slogans of support.
“We expected his victory in the elections, because what we know about the general is enough to work towards building a state,” Anissa Aoun told AFP from the village square.
The new president has the difficult task of appointing a Prime Minister, at the head of a new cabinet who will have to obtain the confidence of the international community and implement urgent reforms, to revive the economy and rebuild the devastated areas in the south.
