New President in Lebanon: Sign of Hope?

Middle East

New President in Lebanon: Sign of Hope?

It took more than two years and more than a dozen attempts. Now Lebanon finally has a president again. Is the long-awaited restart now coming?

A devastating economic crisis, a political power vacuum, massive corruption and, most recently, Hezbollah’s war with Israel: things didn’t look good for Lebanon for a long time. Now, for the first time in a long time, the signs point to hope again. After two years without a president, the small country on the Mediterranean finally has a head of state again.

Chief of General Staff Joseph Aoun is the new president of Lebanon. While he took his oath of office in parliament immediately after his election, the red carpet was rolled out for his arrival at the presidential palace north of the capital Beirut. Sweets were distributed on the streets of Beirut. The first pictures with the face of the newly appointed head of state adorned the streets of the capital shortly afterwards. There are a total of 18 officially recognized religious denominations in the country. The majority of the people are Shiite and Sunni Muslims, followed by Christians.

Aoun’s election raises hope for a political new beginning in the country, which is heavily divided along sectarian lines. “I had to pinch myself when they announced the result,” a Beirut resident told the German Press Agency. Another said: “I watched his speech in parliament and I feel like Lebanon is coming back to life.” Aoun is the future of Lebanon, said another.

The position of president in Lebanon had been vacant since the end of October 2022. Michel Aoun – no relation to the newly appointed President Aoun – left office as planned. Since then, the country’s political blocs have been unable to agree on a candidate. Twelve attempts to do so failed.

One of the reasons was the extensive power of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Until the end, it acted like a state within a state. As a political party, it enjoyed great political influence and repeatedly blocked candidates for the office of president and head of government. As a result, important positions in the country could often only be awarded with Hezbollah’s consent.

The fact that Aoun was able to be elected to office is not least a result of the war between Hezbollah and Israel. In the roughly two-month war at the end of 2024, the Shiite organization was severely weakened and its leader Hassan Nasrallah and numerous high-ranking decision-makers and commanders were killed by the Israeli military.

The overthrow of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad at the beginning of December also contributed to the weakening of Hezbollah. A large proportion of the weapons from Iran were smuggled to Hezbollah via Syria. Hezbollah members fought alongside Assad. His overthrow by rebels further cornered Iran, Hezbollah’s biggest backer. The new rulers in Damascus are distancing themselves from Iranian influence and no longer accept pro-Iranian fighters in their own country.

Since then, Hezbollah’s room for maneuver has increasingly dwindled. Observers assume that the organization had little alternative but to ultimately agree to Aoun’s election.

The country will enter a new phase in its history, Aoun announced in his inaugural speech. He will work to ensure that only the state can have weapons. He was apparently referring to Hezbollah, which has so far refused to give up its weapons. Almost the entire parliament – except for the Hezbollah parliamentarians – applauded.

“Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies have lost their influence,” said Riad Kahwaji, director of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), to dpa. Aoun, on the other hand, has strong international support.

“This is good news for Lebanon,” said Kahwaji. The country can now count on a lot of help to rebuild the economy and advance reconstruction. Saudi Arabia, the USA, France and the international community had repeatedly made the election of a president a condition for financial aid to Lebanon. “There is finally a light in a long, dark tunnel for Lebanon.”

Aoun’s inauguration could set in motion the reforms long demanded by international donor countries. Lebanon has been mired in the worst economic crisis in its history for years. It is primarily attributed to decades of corruption in politics and business.

The army itself is often viewed as a neutral institution in Lebanon. The fact that their leader is now the country’s new president raises hopes that he could act as a mediator between the many different political and sectarian groups. His experience leading the Lebanese armed forces could also help restore long-lost trust in state institutions.