Lebanon’s parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who has United States’ support and showing Hezbollah’s weakened sway after its devastating war with Israel.
In a speech to the chamber, Aoun vowed to work to ensure the state has the exclusive right to carry arms, drawing loud applause as politicians 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.
Aoun’s election reflects shifts in Lebanon’s power balance and the broader Middle East, with Hezbollah weakened by last year’s war and its Syrian ally .
It also indicates a revival of Saudi influence in a country where Saudi Arabia’s role was eclipsed by Iran and Hezbollah long ago.
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar congratulated Lebanon, saying on X he hoped Aoun’s election would contribute towards stability and good neighbourly relations.
US ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, attending the session, told Reuters she was “very happy” with Aoun’s election.
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.
Aoun fell short of the 86 votes needed in a first-round vote but crossed the threshold with 99 votes in a second round after politicians from Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal Movement, backed him.
Hezbollah politician Mohammad Raad said by delaying their vote for Aoun, the group had “sent a message that we are the guardians of national consensus”.