📰 #BREAKING: Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun was voted in as the country’s 14th president on Thursday, ending more than two years of political vacuum.

Aoun, who is backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia, secured 99 votes out of a total of 128 in parliament.

His election comes at a delicate time for Lebanon, with a fragile ceasefire in place between Israel and Hezbollah following a devastating war that came to a halt in early December.

The international community has intensified pressure on political leaders to break years of deadlock and address the country’s ongoing crises, including five years of economic collapse and widespread corruption.

According to MP Michel Moawad, Saudi Arabia and other foreign backers provided financial support to key lawmakers in the days leading up to the vote, helping to pave the way for Aoun’s election.

✍🏽 : MEE/Nader Durgham in Beirut