Former general takes office after long presidential vacuum

BEIRUT: What seemed like a distant dream for many Lebanese only a few weeks ago has become today a reality. Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun was elected Monday as Lebanon's 13th president after more than two years of vacuum in the country's top post.

Aoun won in the second round of the presidential vote after failing to secure a two-third majority in the first round of voting. 83 lawmakers elected Aoun in the second round while 36 MPs cast blank ballots.

The second round of voting had to be repeated three times before ballots were read out loud after the parliament's secretariat counted 128 envelopes instead of 127, which is the number of MPs who participated in the presidential election.

After members of the parliament's secretariat finished reading the ballots out loud, Speaker Nabih Berri declared Aoun president. Aoun was quickly sworn in, pledging political and economic reform and urging a "real partnership" among notoriously divided Lebanese political factions.

Following the parliament session, Aoun was driven to the presidential palace in the southeastern Beirut suburb of Baabda, returning exactly 26 years after he was forced out of it as army commander and interim premier by Syrian forces.

Only a few hours after taking office, Aoun issued the Cabinet's resignation decree in line with the Constitution.

Aoun is expected to designate Future Movement leader Saad Hariri as prime minister after binding parliamentary consultations this week. Hariri, Lebanon's Saudi-backed main Sunni leader, has been a key player in rallying support for Aoun's election despite opposition from Berri. Hariri formally endorsed Aoun, a key ally of pro-Iranian Shiite Hezbollah, for president last week-- reportedly in exchange for Aoun promising him support for his nomination as prime minister.

Aoun's election is seen by many as a clear victory for the pro-Iranian axis in the Middle East, giving a boost to Hezbollah and its ally Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Hariri said his support for Aoun was the only way to end the political crisis that brought state institutions perilously close to collapse.

Prior to his endorsement by Hariri, Aoun had secured the backing of his former Christian rival, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea but failed to garner support from Berri.

The speaker, however, has hinted in remarks published Monday prior to the presidential electoral session at the possibility of joining the new Cabinet if his demands are met.

Berri had previously tied the election of a president to a comprehensive political deal that includes an agreement over a new parliamentary electoral system, the makeup of the upcoming Cabinet and the distribution of ministerial portfolios.

FPM supporters across Lebanon burst with joy as soon as Aoun secured the 65 votes needed to win the election with thousands touring the streets to celebrate the moment.

FPM supporters had taken to the streets since the early morning hours in anticipation of a presidential vote in favor of their leader amid tight security measures in the capital.

Lebanese security forces had deployed heavily in downtown Beirut, setting up road blocks and metal detectors around parliament while snipers were dispatched on buildings surrounding the capital's central hub, as army helicopters flew over the city.--with AP