Joseph Aoun Elected as Lebanon’s New President After Two Years of Deadlock

Lebanon’s army chief, Joseph Aoun, was elected president on Thursday after a second round of parliamentary voting, ending a prolonged deadlock that left the country without a head of state since October 2022.

Aoun secured the simple majority of 65 votes required in the 128-seat parliament during the afternoon session. His election was met with celebrations among members of parliament. Earlier in the day, Aoun fell short of the two-thirds majority needed in the first round, receiving 71 votes, 15 short of the required 86.

Lebanon had been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022, with tensions between Hezbollah and its opponents derailing 12 previous voting attempts. International pressure intensified as a ceasefire nears its end, requiring Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers to stabilize the southern border.