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

Lebanon’s parliament has elected Joseph Aoun, the US-backed Army Chief, as the country’s new president, ending a two-year political deadlock that had left Lebanon without a head of state.

The historic decision followed two rounds of voting on Thursday, with crucial support from Saudi Arabia and the United States playing a key role in securing Aoun’s victory.

This election closed the presidential vacuum that began in October 2022, when the term of former President Michel Aoun, backed by Iran-supported Hezbollah, ended. Efforts to elect a successor had repeatedly failed, revealing deep divisions between Lebanon’s pro-Western and pro-Iran factions.

The breakthrough came after a US-brokered ceasefire agreement ended the November 2024 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Observers believe this ceasefire expedited the election process, especially after Hezbollah suffered significant setbacks during the war, including Israeli airstrikes and the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who had facilitated weapons transfers to Hezbollah through Syria and Iraq.

As part of the ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese Army, led by Joseph Aoun, was tasked with deploying to Hezbollah-dominated areas in southern Lebanon, along the Israeli border, while Israeli forces withdrew from Lebanese territory. Although the army did not engage in direct combat during the war, its role in implementing the ceasefire strengthened its position as a key actor in Lebanon’s political and security landscape.

Joseph Aoun, who is aligned with both Washington and Riyadh, emerged as a consensus candidate after 12 unsuccessful attempts to elect a president over the past two years. His election reflects the growing influence of Saudi Arabia and the United States in shaping Lebanon’s political future.

Lebanon’s confessional power-sharing system dictates that the presidency be held by a Maronite Christian, and Aoun’s ascension aligns with this longstanding tradition.