Lebanon's Army Leader Joseph Aoun Assumes Presidency
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Beirut, Jan 9 (NationPress) The chief of Lebanon's army, Joseph Aoun, has been inaugurated as president after successfully being elected in the second round of presidential voting that took place on Thursday, as reported by local media.
Aoun secured 99 votes in the second round of the electoral session, attended by 128 members of parliament, as reported by Lebanese TV channel Al Jadeed. His election concludes a prolonged period of over two years during which Lebanon lacked a president.
During the second round, Shibli Mallat, a notable legal expert in Lebanon, received just two votes. Meanwhile, nine lawmakers submitted blank ballots, 13 voted for "sovereignty and the constitution," and five ballots were deemed invalid, as Al Jadeed indicated.
Aoun did not achieve a two-thirds majority, or 86 votes, in the first round of the session earlier that day, necessitating a two-hour recess before moving to a second round, which required only a simple majority of 65 votes for victory.
Subsequent to the election, Aoun entered the parliament building in central Beirut to take his oath in front of lawmakers and to deliver his inaugural address, according to Xinhua news agency.
As reported by the official National News Agency, Aoun recognized "the necessity for reform in Lebanon's political landscape" and emphasized "the critical need for judicial and legal reforms."
He asserted, "Interference in the judiciary is prohibited, and there will be no immunity for criminals or corrupt individuals. There is no room for mafias, drug trafficking, or money laundering within Lebanon," he stated.
The political discord in Lebanon led to a vacancy in the presidency following the conclusion of former President Michel Aoun's term on October 31, 2022. The parliament had been unable to elect a president for the nation across 12 electoral sessions. A caretaker government has been managing the country during this period of presidential absence.
Joseph Aoun, aged 60, is not related to Michel Aoun and is widely regarded as the favored candidate of the United States and Saudi Arabia, whose backing will be vital for Lebanon's reconstruction following a 14-month conflict involving Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, according to analysts.
