Lebanon’s parliament is gearing up for another attempt to elect a president, after 12 failed attempts, with the latest session scheduled for tomorrow, January 9, 2025. This critical election comes over two years after President Michel Aoun’s term ended on October 31, 2022, leaving the country without a head of state.
The presidential election process in Lebanon has been notoriously challenging, with a two-thirds majority required in the first round. If no candidate secures this threshold, subsequent rounds require only a simple majority of 65 deputies. However, the country’s complex sectarian politics and the influence of external powers have hindered the election process.
Despite the obstacles, there is hope that regional shifts could lead to a breakthrough. The growing list of presidential candidates includes notable figures such as Army Chief Joseph Aoun, Jihad Azour, the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund, and Suleiman Franjieh, the Marada Movement chief and former minister.
The election’s outcome will have significant implications for Lebanon’s political landscape and its relationships with regional powers.