In Lebanon, many saw the election on Thursday of Gen. Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese military, as a crucial step toward bringing stability to the country. It was also seen as a concession by Hezbollah and, some analysts said, an acknowledgment that the group was no longer in a position to paralyze the state.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese lawmakers began voting in a presidential election on Thursday, aiming to fill a post which has been vacant since 2022, with political sources expecting army commander General Joseph Aoun to be elected.

Lebanon’s parliament has elected army chief Joseph Aoun as President – finally giving the country a head of state after more than two years. Aoun, who had support from both the US and Saudi Arabia, received 99 of 128 votes after two rounds in a special parliamentary session.

Lebanon’s parliament has elected its US-backed army chief to be the country’s next president, ending a years-long political stalemate and presidential vacuum.

General Joseph Aoun secured 99 votes from the 128-seat parliament, after winning an endorsement from the Hezbollah-backed candidate. The career soldier is the fifth army commander to be elected president in Lebanon’s history.

As the country endured economic crisis and a devastating war, lawmakers failed 12 times to pick a head of state. They have now settled on Joseph Aoun, the leader of the military.

The outcome showed the diminished sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group after its devastating war with Israel.

A devastating economic crisis, a political power vacuum, massive corruption and most recently the war between Hezbollah and Israel: For a long time, things were not looking good for Lebanon. But, after two years without a president,

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