New President chosen by Lebanon: Joseph Aoun

Lebanon has elected Joseph Aoun, its army chief, as its president. The post was vacant after Michel Aoun tenure ended in 2022.

Rice is thrown on newly-appointed General Joseph Aoun (C) as army commander, upon his arrival at his family's house in Sin El Fil, northeast of Beirut, Lebanon, March 8, 2017. File Image/Reuters

Lebanon’s top contender for the presidential post, Joseph Aoun, was elected as the country’s president in the second round of voting, after he fell short of the two-thirds majority in the first round of the parliamentary vote on Thursday.

He required a simple majority of 65 votes in the second round, which he secured after having got the support of 71 of the 128 lawmakers in the first round. He required to win 86 votes in the first round to be elected as the president.

The West Asian country has been operating without a full-fledged functional government since its last president Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022. Lebanon has tried to elect a new leader to head the government at least 12 times but all those attempts proved futile amid a deadlock in parliament between pro- and anti-Hezbollah blocs.

How does Lebanon choose its president?

Lebanon’s president is elected by the Lebanese Parliament, a body composed of 128 members representing the country’s religious sects. On Thursday, all the 128 members were summoned for a special session to vote on the country’s next president.

The president is elected through a special majority that requires the winning candidate to get at least 86 votes.

In order to become the president of Lebanon, the contender must be a Maronite Christian outlined by Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system established by the National Pact.

The election is conducted in a secret ballot, and in the first round, a two-thirds majority is required to win. If no candidate achieves this, subsequent rounds only need a simple majority.

Who are the frontrunners?

Army commander Joseph Aoun, 60, is widely seen as the frontrunner to become Lebanon’s next president, particularly since Frangieh’s withdrawal.

Aoun was appointed to the current post in March 2017 and had been set to retire in January 2024, but his term was extended twice during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Running up against Aoun is Jihad Azour, a prominent economist who has received substantial backing from factions opposed to Hezbollah. Azour has experience serving as the director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund since 2017.

Another contender in the presidential race is Elias al-Baysari, the acting head of Lebanon’s General Security agency, which is responsible for border control and historically seen as close to Hezbollah.

Can Aoun run for president?

Lebanon’s constitution technically bars a sitting army chief from becoming president. The ban has been waived before, but it means that Aoun faces additional procedural hurdles.

Aoun, who has kept a low profile and avoided media appearances, never formally announced his candidacy but is widely seen as the preferred candidate of the United States, which provides significant financial support to the Lebanese army.

The army chief finds support from international players including the US and his win would make him the first army chief to get elected as Lebanon’s president.