Army chief elected Lebanon's president after years of deadlock [View all]
Source: BBC
Lebanon's parliament has elected the country's army chief as president, ending a power vacuum that has lasted more than two years.
Joseph Aoun's candidacy for the mainly ceremonial role - which is reserved for a Maronite Christian under a sectarian power-sharing system - was backed by several key political parties, as well as the US, France and Saudi Arabia.
A rival preferred by Hezbollah, the powerful Shia Muslim militia and political party supported by Iran, withdrew on Wednesday and endorsed the commander.
His election comes six weeks after Lebanon agreed a ceasefire to end a war between Israel and Hezbollah, which left the group significantly weakened and devastated areas where it holds sway.
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxzxd32lzvo
The seat of Lebanon's President gas been vacant for over two years, due largely to Hezbollah unprecedented disregard for Lebanon's Constitution and giving it unprecedented hold on Lebanon's politics.
Aoun is a Maronite Christian, member of a segment of Lebanon's society which is most closely allied with Israel.
= new reply since forum marked as read