Lebanese Army Chief Joseph Aoun was voted in as President of the Lebanese Republic in a second round of parliamentary voting on Thursday, ending a more than two-year vacuum in the crisis-hit, war-battered country.
“The Speaker announces that the president is Joseph Aoun,” Speaker Nabih Berri said, reporting that Aoun received 99 out of 128 votes after failing to get a required majority in a first round earlier in the day, and after a source close to Hezbollah and ally Amal said representatives of the blocs met with Aoun after the first round.
The President of the Lebanese Republic is elected by the Parliament for a term of six years, which cannot be renewed immediately because they can only be renewed non-consecutively. By convention, the President is always a Maronite Christian who fulfills the same requirements as a candidate for the house of representatives, as per article 49 of the Lebanese constitution.
Joseph Aoun is the current Commander of the Lebanese Army, having assumed the role on March 8, 2017, succeeding General Jean Kahwaji.
Aoun maintains strong connections with the United States, having undergone military and counterterrorism training in the country. Aoun’s military career began as a volunteer in 1983, and he has since completed various military courses, including an officers’ course in 1986, a diving course in 1987, and a senior officer’s course in 1996.
In 2013, he took part in a workshop focused on intelligence and counterterrorism, along with several training courses abroad, particularly in the United States, where he completed two infantry courses in 1988 and 1995, and later participated in the International Program for Counter-Terrorism Policy between 2008 and 2009.
He also attended a demolition course in Syria in 1996 and a battalion commanders’ course in Syria from 2002 to 2003. In 2015, Aoun was appointed commander of the 9th Brigade, which is stationed in southern Lebanon, and in 2016, he was reassigned to the eastern sector along the border with Syria, where he addressed the threat posed by ISIS at that time.
Throughout his military career, Aoun has been awarded numerous medals and decorations. His name is closely associated with two significant events in the eyes of the Lebanese people: the first being Fajr al-Joroud, the battle he successfully led against hundreds of ISIS militants in 2017 in eastern Lebanon near the Syrian border. The second is his enduring campaign against corruption within the military establishment, which he has managed to maintain as one of the few resilient institutions in a country facing systemic collapse.
Since taking over command of the Army in 2017, Aoun has initiated a comprehensive campaign to combat corruption within the military, impacting many personnel. His reputation as an anti-corruption advocate has greatly influenced his standing as a credible figure capable of steering the country away from collapse.
Throughout his military career, Joseph Aoun has achieved remarkable promotions, including:
- Enrolled in the Army as a cadet officer and joined the Military Academy starting 19/05/1983
- Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant starting 06/05/1985
- Promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant starting 01/07/1988
- Promoted to the rank of Captain starting 01/01/1993
- Promoted to the rank of Major starting 01/01/1998
- Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel starting 01/01/2003
- Promoted to the rank of Colonel P.S.C starting 01/07/2007
- Promoted to the rank of Brigadier General P.S.C starting 01/07/2013
- He was promoted to the rank of General and was appointed as the Armed Forces Commander on 8/3/2017
Aoun boasts an impressive academic background, holding a degree in Political Science focused on international relations, along with a university degree in Military Sciences.
In addition to his native Arabic, Aoun is proficient in both French and English. On the personal front, he is married to Mrs. Neemat Nehme, and together they have two children, Khalil and Nour, along with several grandchildren. (Agencies; Wikipedia; Lebanese Army; Photo © Lebanese Army)
