- The president pledged to develop “a new Lebanese defence doctrine that will protect the country from Israeli aggression”
General Joseph Aoun has taken the oath of office before the members of the republic’s parliament as the new head of state, becoming Lebanon’s 14th president since the state gained independence in 1943.
During his first speech, Aoun emphasized that the country is going through an acute crisis and requires a shift in the way it is governed in order to get out of it. “Together with the future government, we will draft a law that will guarantee the independence of the judiciary,” he added.
The president pledged to develop “a new Lebanese defense doctrine that will protect the country from Israeli aggression.”
Indeed, January 9, 2025 become a historic date for the Lebanese people as a presidential vacancy that lasted over two years has come to an end.
With a divided Christian majority, Lebanon elected a new Maronite president — Army Commander General Joseph Aoun.
In a parliamentary session that remained uncertain until the last minute, the Lebanese Parliament, which meets in Beirut’s Nejmeh Square, voted and Aoun was elected in the second round of elections, with 99 out of 128 votes. He is the 14th president of the Republic of Lebanon.
The election followed on the heels of numerous Arab and international initiatives to end the vacancy, which was prolonged by the country’s crises, paralyzing its institutions.
The tumultuous parliamentary session began with objections raised by some who called the potential election of Aoun a “constitutional violation” due to his status as a Category One civil servant. Any amendment to this status typically requires the approval of an existing president.
The first round of voting failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority, prompting a two-hour recess to allow for further deliberations before a second round was held. This round resulted in the election of the new president, with high-profile Arab and international figures — including the Vatican ambassador to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia — witnessing the event.
Aoun secured the support of the largest Christian bloc in Parliament — the “Strong Republic Bloc” affiliated with the Lebanese Forces Party — and its Christian allies in the opposition, including the Kataeb Party and independents.
However, the new president did not win the votes of the second-largest Christian bloc, the “Strong Lebanon Bloc,” which is affiliated with the Free Patriotic Movement, Hezbollah’s ally, and whose members objected to his candidacy on constitutional grounds.
Inaugural speech and oath
Minutes after his victory, the new president arrived at Parliament to deliver his inaugural speech and take the constitutional oath.
In his address, Aoun declared: “Lebanon, an ages-old nation, has endured wars, bombings, greed, and mismanagement.”
He emphasized the need to reform Lebanon’s political conduct, asserting: “We are in a governance crisis that demands a change in our political behavior.”
He concluded with a promise: “My pledge to the Lebanese people today is to usher in a new chapter in Lebanon’s history.”