Joseph Aoun elected 14th president of Lebanon, ending two-year vacancy

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Joseph Aoun, Commander of the Lebanese Army, was elected as Lebanon's 14th president, securing 99 votes and ending a prolonged two-year presidential vacancy.

Born on January 10, 1964, in Sin el Fil, Metn District, Joseph Aoun has had an illustrious military career. Joining the army as a cadet officer in 1983, he rose through the ranks, serving as Commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade before he was appointed Commander of the Lebanese Army on March 8, 2017.

The election came after the Lebanese Parliament convened in a long-awaited session, marked by heated debates and procedural hurdles. During the first voting round, Aoun led with 71 votes, while 37 blank ballots and 18 invalid votes reflected the persisting divisions within Parliament.

Lebanese law requires a two-thirds majority (86 votes) in the first round of presidential elections. If no candidate achieves this threshold, subsequent rounds require a simple majority (65 votes).