Election to Lebanon's new president...an expression of one's will to end the conflict

Joseph Aoun has been elected as Lebanon's new president.

On the 9th local time, Lebanon's parliament voted in favor of 99 out of 128 registered lawmakers in a vote.

"A new chapter in Lebanese history will begin," the new president said in a speech after being sworn in, asking parliament to consult for the nomination of a new prime minister.

It also emphasizes that Lebanon's government forces will use weapons exclusively in the future, which is interpreted as a willingness to continue a temporary ceasefire between Lebanon's pro-Iranian militant Hezbollah and Israel and prevent further clashes.

Aoun, who has led the military since March 2017, is said to be a favorite of the United States and Saudi Arabia, AFP explained.

The election of a president in Lebanon comes more than two years after former President Michel Aoun, who had close ties to Hezbollah, left office in late October 2022 after a six-year term.

So far, Lebanon's parliament has tried to vote 12 times to choose a successor, but it has been unable to produce an elected president amid political divisions.