Joseph Aoun: Lebanon’s respected army chief becomes new president

Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun, who was elected president in a second round of a parliamentary vote Thursday, is a political neophyte but is expected to benefit from his position as head of one of the country’s most respected institutions.

Widely seen as the preferred pick of the US, as well as regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, he is perceived as being best placed to maintain a fragile ceasefire and pull the country out of financial collapse.

Analysts say Aoun, who turns 61 on Friday and is considered a man of “personal integrity”, could be the right candidate to finally replace Michel Aoun – no relation – whose term as president ended in October 2022.

A dozen previous attempts to choose a president failed amid tensions between Hezbollah and its opponents, who accused the Shiite group of seeking to impose its preferred candidate.

Since taking over the army command in 2017, he steered the institution through a national financial crisis that demolished the currency and with it the value of his soldiers' salaries, shaking an institution that has underpinned internal stability since the 1975-90 civil war.

Aoun played a key role in shoring up a 60-day ceasefire brokered by the US and France in November. The terms require the Lebanese military to deploy into southern Lebanon as Israeli troops and Hezbollah withdraw forces.

‘Dedicated’

The general with broad shoulders and a shaved head has stepped up talks with visiting foreign dignitaries since becoming army chief.

The man of few words should be able to count on his good relations across the divided Lebanese political class, as well as apparent backing from the United States and Saudi Arabia, to see him elected.

Aoun “has a reputation of personal integrity”, said Karim Bitar, an international relations expert at Beirut’s Saint-Joseph University, told AFP.

He came to prominence after leading the army in a battle to drive out the Islamic State group from a mountainous area along the Syrian border.

“Within the Lebanese army, he is perceived as someone who is dedicated ... who has the national interest at heart, and who has been trying to consolidate this institution, which is the last non-sectarian institution still on its feet in the country,” Bitar said.

Aoun was set to retire last January, but has had his mandate extended twice – most recently in November.

Hezbollah-backed candidate drops out 

Momentum built behind Aoun's candidacy on Wednesday, as Hezbollah's preferred candidate – Suleiman Frangieh – withdrew his candidacy and declared his support for the military commander, along with a growing number of other lawmakers.

Hezbollah and its Shiite ally the Amal Movement led by parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri had long expressed reservations about Aoun's candidacy as they stuck by Frangieh.

Read moreNabih Berri: Lebanon’s ‘untouchable’ parliamentary speaker

French and Saudi envoys met Lebanese politicians in Beirut on Wednesday as momentum increased to end the country's political deadlock. Lebanese political sources said the US and Saudi Arabia signalled their support for Aoun.

Saudi Arabia was once a big player in Lebanon, vying with Tehran for influence, before seeing its role eclipsed by Iran and the heavily armed Hezbollah, which is listed as a terrorist group by Washington and its Gulf Arab allies.

‘Relations with everyone’

Aoun has been commander of the US-backed Lebanese army since 2017. On his watch, US aid continued to flow to the army, part of Washington's long-standing policy focused on supporting state institutions to curb Hezbollah's influence.

Mohanad Hage Ali, from the Carnegie Middle East Center, noted that “being the head of US-backed Lebanese Armed Forces, Joseph Aoun has ties to the United States”.

“While he maintained relations with everyone, Hezbollah-affiliated media often criticised him” for those US ties, he told AFP.

Washington is the main financial backer of Lebanon’s army, which also receives support from other countries including Qatar.

An international conference in Paris last month raised $200 million to support the armed forces.

The military has been hit hard by Lebanon’s economic crisis, and at one point in 2020 it said it had cut out meat from the meals offered to on-duty soldiers due to rising food prices.

Aoun, who speaks Arabic, French and English, hails from Lebanon’s Christian community and has two children.

By convention, the presidency goes to a Maronite Christian, the premiership is reserved for a Sunni Muslim and the post of parliament speaker goes to a Shiite Muslim.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)