Thu Jan 09 12:43:45 UTC 2025: ## Lebanon Elects New President After Year-Long Standoff
**BEIRUT** – Lebanon has finally elected a new president after a year-long political deadlock. General Joseph Aoun, the country’s army chief, secured the presidency Thursday afternoon, winning 99 votes in the second round of parliamentary voting. This ends a period of political instability that began in October 2022 with the expiration of Michel Aoun’s (no relation) term.
The first round of voting saw Aoun fall short of the required two-thirds majority, receiving 71 votes. However, he easily surpassed the simple majority needed in the second round, prompting celebrations in parliament. The previous twelve attempts to elect a president had failed amid intense political tensions, particularly between the Hezbollah movement and opposing factions.
The election comes under significant international pressure, with only 17 days remaining in a ceasefire agreement that requires the deployment of Lebanese troops alongside UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon following a conflict with Israel last autumn. Aoun’s victory is widely seen as a crucial step towards restoring stability and addressing pressing national challenges.
First Piper 