Joseph Aoun, the head of Lebanon’s army, was elected as the country’s 14th president, Middle East Eye reports on January 9th.
The 60-year-old commander assumes a role that has been vacant for over two years due to political gridlock.
Aoun secured 99 votes out of 128 in parliament, earning broad support across Lebanon’s political spectrum despite initial opposition from Hezbollah and its allies.
Read more: ITA Airways Resumes Flights to Libya After a Decade-Long Suspension
Though he rarely makes political statements, Aoun recently emerged as the preferred candidate of the United States and Saudi Arabia for the presidency.
His election follows a growing local and international push, intensified after Israel’s two-month offensive in Lebanon last year, which killed over 4,000 people and displaced more than a million.
Middle East Eye and agencies
Leave a Reply