Joseph Aoun elected new president of Lebanon

(Patria) - The Lebanese parliament has elected army commander Joseph Aoun as the new president, filling the vacant post with a general who has the support of the United States, an indication that Hezbollah is increasingly losing influence in the country after the war with Israel.

This result reflects the redistribution of power in Lebanon and the Middle East, after Hezbollah suffered heavily in the war with Israel, and its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power in December.

Aoun's selection also shows the return of Saudi influence in a country where Riyadh's role had been overshadowed by the influence of Iran and Hezbollah.

The presidency, reserved by the Lebanese constitution for a Maronite Christian, had been vacant since the end of Michel Aoun's term in late 2022.

Deeply divided political factions had since failed to agree on a candidate who would secure the necessary two-thirds majority in the 128-seat parliament.

Aoun failed to get the required 86 votes in the first round, but in the second round he received 99 votes, after being backed by lawmakers from Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal movement, announced parliament speaker Nabih Berri.

Aoun gained significant momentum a day earlier when Suleiman Frangieh, long Hezbollah's preferred candidate, withdrew from the race.

He threw his support behind Aoun at a time when French and Saudi envoys were lobbying in Beirut, calling for the election of the commander, three Lebanese sources told Reuters.

Sources close to Saudi authorities said that French, Saudi and American envoys told Berri, a close Hezbollah ally, that international financial aid, including from Riyadh, would depend on Aoun's election.

There is a very clear message from the international community that it is ready to support Lebanon, but that requires a president and a government, said Michel Moawad, a Christian lawmaker and Hezbollah opponent who voted for Aoun, before the vote. We received a message of support from the Saudis, he added.

Aoun's election is the first step towards reviving government institutions in a country that has had no leader or functioning government since October 2022.

Lebanon's economy is still recovering from the 2019 financial collapse and is in dire need of international aid to rebuild the country from the war.

The World Bank estimates that $8.5 billion is needed.

Lebanon's system of government requires the new president to initiate consultations with lawmakers to nominate a Sunni prime minister, who will then appoint a new government. This process is often lengthy as divided factions jostle for ministerial posts.

Aoun now plays a key role in securing the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, reached in November in Paris under Washington's mediation. The agreement stipulates that the Lebanese army will deploy to southern Lebanon, and that Israeli and Hezbollah fighters will withdraw from there.

The new 60-year-old president has been the commander of the Lebanese army, which is supported by the US and Western states, since 2017.

During his tenure, US military aid has flowed to the Lebanese army, part of a long-standing American policy of supporting state institutions to reduce Hezbollah's influence.