Joseph Aoun Takes Over Lebanese President Position Left Vacant For Two Years
Lebanese Arm chief Joseph Aoun is appointed as president on Thursday, after receiving 99 out of 128 votes. His appointment ended a two-year vacancy at the top position in Lebanon.
During his inaugural speech, Aoun said that the country is entering into a new era and vowed a state monopoly on arms. “My pledge to Lebanese wherever they are and may the whole world hear – today, a new phase in Lebanon’s history begins”, he said while delivering a speech.
He also said to call for parliamentary consultation on naming a new prime minister as ‘soon as possible, as the country is currently led by a caretaker government for a long time now.
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The newly appointed president vowed to ‘affirm the state’s right to monopoly on the carrying of arms” after a devastating war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and to work to respect the truce with Israel.
Aoun also said to seek the best possible relations with brotherly Arab countries after years of strained ties with some regional nations including Gulf countries.
Joseph Aoun is to replace Michel Aoun whose term was ended in October 2022. The newly appointed president has headed the army since 2017, an institution that serves as a rare source of unity in a country dominated by sectarian and political divides.
Consociational System of Lebanon
Lebanon operates under a consociational system, designed to maintain stability and peace in a diverse society by ensuring power-sharing among different religious and ethnic groups. In Lebanon, the consociational system is primarily structured around sectarian divisions.
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Political power is distributed among Lebanon’s main religious communities, primarily Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Shia Muslims. The top government positions are allocated based on sectarian lines: the President is always a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker of the Parliament a Shia Muslim.
Under this system the Parliamentary seats and public offices are allocated according to a fixed ratio based on religious affiliation, reflecting Lebanon’s sectarian demographics.
