Today, Thursday, January 9, 2025, Lebanon’s parliament has elected Army Chief Joseph Aoun as president, ending a two-year political vacuum.
Aoun, 60, secured 99 votes in the second round of voting after falling short of the required two-thirds majority in the first. His election follows 12 failed attempts to select a president over two years.
The breakthrough signals a shift in Lebanon’s political dynamics, with Hezbollah’s influence waning after its preferred candidate, Suleiman Frangieh, withdrew and endorsed Aoun. This development comes amid regional changes, including a recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict and the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
