Lebanon, Joseph Aoun is New President

Joseph Aoun is the new president of the Lebanese Republic. Aoun, 60, commander of the Lebanese army, starting January 9 is holding the post that has been vacant for more than two years. The election was held after a second round of parliamentary voting, when a simple majority of 65 votes out of 128 was sufficient. He became Lebanon’s 14th president since the country’s independence in 1943.

“Today marks the beginning of a new phase in Lebanon’s history,” said Aoun, who has led the armed forces since 2017, in a speech to the House of Representatives. A Maronite Christian, like all Lebanese presidents, he is highly respected by the United States and Western powers, as well as the Gulf Arab countries.

Aoun stressed that the country is going through a serious crisis, explaining that “together with the future government, we will pass a law that will guarantee the independence of the judiciary” and that “a new Lebanese defense doctrine will be enacted that will protect the country from Israeli aggression.” The new president also emphasized the importance of the military: “We will invest in the armed forces to protect Lebanon’s borders and fight terrorism.”

According to Reuters, this election signals a resurgence of Saudi influence in defiance of Iran and Hezbollah.