Lebanon selects president after 2-year impasse

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun

(Image credit: Anwar Amro / AFP via Getty Images)

published 10 January 2025

What happened

Lebanon's parliament elected army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun president Thursday, ending a political deadlock that had kept the office vacant since October 2022. Aoun, 60, won 99 of 128 votes.

The election of Aoun, widely seen as the preferred candidate of the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, reflects the "weakened sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel," Reuters said. In his victory speech to parliament, Aoun vowed to carry out judicial reforms, "rebuild what Israel destroyed," and ensure the state's right to "monopolize the carrying of weapons." That last pledge drew "loud applause as lawmakers from Hezbollah — which runs its own military forces — sat still."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.