Joseph Aoun emerges as front-runner for Lebanon president on eve of vote
Hezbollah’s candidate dropped out and endorsed the Lebanese Armed Forces leader on Wednesday, as Lebanon seeks to elect a president after more than two-year void.
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) leader Gen. Joseph Aoun has emerged as the leading candidate to become Lebanon’s next president, with the vote scheduled for Thursday. The commander's chances saw a boost after the withdrawal of Hezbollah's preferred candidate, Suleiman Frangieh, and endorsements from several key political blocs.
What happened: Frangieh announced his withdrawal on Wednesday, endorsing Aoun, who “enjoys the qualifications” for the presidency. Ayoub Hmayed — a member of parliament from the Development and Liberation bloc led by Amal and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri — hinted at support for Aoun while emphasizing the need for consensus. Amal remains a close ally of Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, a staunch Hezbollah critic, expressed openness to Aoun’s candidacy, stating on Tuesday that he is “ready to consider” him if Hezbollah and its allies formally back the general.
Hezbollah has yet to issue an official endorsement. However, senior official Wafiq Safa stated on Sunday that “Hezbollah does not veto Gen. Aoun’s candidacy for president.”
This is a reversal from both Amal and Hezbollah, who have supported Frangieh since 2023 but failed to get him enough votes to be elected.
How it works: Under Lebanon's parliamentarian system, a quorum of two-thirds (86 votes) is required to proceed with the first round. If no candidate achieves this threshold, a simple majority (65 votes) suffices in subsequent rounds.
However, Article 49 of the Lebanese constitution prohibits serving government employees and members of the armed forces from running for president. Aoun would therefore require a constitutional amendment, needing 86 parliamentary votes, to circumvent this rule. Should Aoun win with fewer than 86 votes, his presidency could face challenges, with opponents potentially turning to Lebanon’s Constitutional Council, which oversees electoral disputes.
Background: France’s envoy to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, and Saudi Arabia’s envoy, Prince Yazid bin Farhan, were in Beirut on Wednesday as part of the ongoing deliberations. US envoy Amos Hochstein visited Lebanon on Monday, and Aoun himself visited Saudi Arabia on Dec. 26.
Both Washington and Riyadh are believed to be supportive of Aoun's candidacy, which gained momentum after Assad's fall in Syria on Dec. 8 and in the aftermath of Hezbollah-Israel war.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun (not related to Joseph Aoun) concluded his term in October 2022. Under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system, the president must be a Christian, and the parliament is responsible for electing the head of state. Since Michel Aoun's departure, parliament has failed 12 times to elect a successor.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed optimism on Wednesday, saying he felt “joy for the first time since the presidential vacancy,” adding, “God willing, we will have a new president for the republic tomorrow.”
Know more: Aoun, 60, is widely regarded as a national figure who can achieve consensus. He is credited with maintaining Lebanon’s military as a resilient institution amid years of political and economic turmoil.
A career military officer, Aoun joined the LAF in 1983 and has led the 9th Infantry Brigade since 2015. He became LAF commander in March 2017. Aoun has strong ties with the United States, having received military and counterterrorism training there. The LAF receives significant US aid.
Shortly after assuming his command, Aoun oversaw a campaign in August 2017 to expel Islamic State and Nusra Front militants from Lebanon’s border with Syria. During Lebanon’s ongoing financial crisis, which began in 2019, Aoun worked with US officials to ensure continued support for the army while resisting government attempts to use the military to suppress widespread protests against corruption. Under his leadership, the army has largely maintained its integrity amid a landscape of institutional decay.
Most recently, Aoun played a key role in navigating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. He is central to the implementation of a ceasefire that places LAF forces along the Lebanon-Israel border to prevent Hezbollah’s presence in the area.
If elected, Aoun would become the fourth army chief to ascend to the presidency in Lebanon’s history.
