Misplaced Pages

#487512

102-449: The latest holder of the position is Michel Aoun from October 31, 2016 until October 31, 2022. On the eve of the end of his mandate, he left the presidency and returned to his private residence, while Parliament was unable to nominate a candidate with enough votes to succeed him and so the position has been vacant since. In light of the Lebanese presidential crisis and current power vaccum,

204-457: A parliamentary republic , the president is essentially the repository of reserve powers and the office is largely symbolic. Nevertheless, the president remains by and large the most important member of the executive. This is despite his powers having been somewhat moderated under Ta'if, notably with the increase in the powers of the Cabinet ; nevertheless, these reforms have not substantially altered

306-453: A Council of Ministers, or cabinet. The president was to be elected by the Chamber of Deputies for one six-year term and could not be reelected until a six-year period had elapsed; deputies were to be popularly elected along confessional lines. A custom of selecting major political officers, as well as top ranks within the public administration, according to the proportion of the principal sects in

408-399: A boat heading for PSP controlled port at Jieh. This precipitated a series of indiscriminate artillery barrages, with Amal shelling East Beirut harbour and Jouneh port, and Aoun's army brigades shelling Souk El Gharb . On the 12 March, Aoun ordered the closure of Beirut International Airport and two days later launched an hour-long bombardment of East Beirut, which killed 40 civilians. At

510-420: A candidate for a six-year term on a secret ballot in which a two-thirds majority is required to elect. If no candidate receives a two-thirds majority, a second ballot is held in which only a majority is required to elect. An individual cannot be reelected president until six years have passed from the expiration of his or her first term. The Constitution is silent on the issue of the quorum needed to call to order

612-832: A decisive operation against Aoun, invading his strongholds including the Presidential Palace in Baabda and killing hundreds of Lebanese soldiers and civilians. Aoun fled to the French Embassy in Beirut where he declared his surrender and was later granted asylum in France where he lived in exile for 15 years. In exile, Aoun founded the Free Patriotic Movement , and advocated for the Syria Accountability Act by testifying in

714-468: A half years, despite more than 30 votes being held. On 31 October 2016, Michel Aoun was elected as president, serving until 30 October 2022. The presidency has remained vacant since, for similar reasons. [REDACTED] Member State of the Arab League [REDACTED] Lebanon portal The constitution requires the president hold the same qualifications as a member of Parliament (also called

816-580: A home in Lebanon's Rabieh district, where he was visited on 8 May by a large delegation from the disbanded Lebanese Front (LF), who were among Aoun's former enemies. Aoun and Sethrida Geagea , wife of the imprisoned LF leader Samir Geagea (since given amnesty), publicly reconciled. Other prominent visitors included National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun , Solange Gemayel , Nayla Moawad (widow of assassinated President René Moawad ), and opposition MP Boutros Harb . Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir of

918-468: A key by-election in the Baabda – Aley constituency against the state-sponsored candidate, Henri Helou . Aoun ended 15 years of self-imposed exile when he returned to Lebanon on 7 May 2005, following the withdrawal of the Syrian Army from Lebanon after the assassination of Rafic Hariri on 14 February 2005. Hariri's killing was a catalyst for dramatic political change in Lebanon. The massive protests of

1020-612: A move orchestrated from Aoun's house in Rabieh, the Hariri government was toppled through the resignation of the FPM ministers and their allies. On 13 June 2011, a new government headed by Prime Minister Najib Mikati saw light where Aoun's parliamentary Reform and Change Bloc assumed 10 ministries. Georges Catroux Georges Albert Julien Catroux ( French pronunciation: [ʒɔʁʒ albɛʁ ʒyljɛ̃ katʁu] ; 29 January 1877 – 21 December 1969)

1122-422: A mutual recognition agreement between Lebanon and Israel along with a joint defense pact, and was accompanied by Israeli officers in his patrols. He also had a meeting with Israeli Minister of Defence Ariel Sharon . On 22 September 1988, 15 minutes before the expiration of his term, the outgoing president Amine Gemayel appointed Aoun as Prime Minister, heading a military government to be formed by six members of

SECTION 10

#1732859033488

1224-511: A new president was not immediately elected. Following a political deadlock which lasted for six months, the Lebanese parliament elected former army chief Michel Suleiman as president. From the expiration of the term of President Michel Suleiman in May 2014 until 31 October 2016, the parliament was unable to obtain the majority required to elect a president, and the office was vacant for almost two and

1326-528: A number of former opponents, including some pro-Syrian politicians like Michel Murr and Suleiman Frangieh, Jr . Aoun's party, the Free Patriotic Movement, made a strong showing, winning 21 of the 58 seats contested in that round, including almost all of the seats in the Christian heartland of Mount Lebanon . Aoun also won major Christian districts such as Zahle and Metn. Aoun himself was elected to

1428-415: A parliamentary presidential electoral meeting. In the absence of a clear provision designating the quorum needed to elect the president, the constitution is open to differing interpretations. According to one view on the issue, a quorum constituting a majority of fifty-percent plus one (that required for any meeting of Parliament) is sufficient for a parliamentary presidential electoral meeting. Another view on

1530-638: A political caretaker government, and feeling that judges "can't defend themselves", he opted for a military cabinet. Indeed, Amine Gemayel had recognized that his own nemesis throughout his presidency, the militia his slain brother Bachir Gemayel had founded, the Lebanese Forces, would also attempt to undermine the authority of a caretaker government. Backed by Syria and its local allies, Al-Hoss declared his dismissal invalid. Two governments emerged, one civilian and mainly Muslim in West Beirut, headed by Hoss as

1632-429: A presidency period that lasted only three months. The Vichy authorities allowed Nazi Germany to move aircraft and supplies through Syria to Iraq where they were used against British forces. Britain, fearing that Nazi Germany would gain full control of Lebanon and Syria by pressure on the weak Vichy government, sent its army into Syria and Lebanon . After the fighting ended in Lebanon, General Charles de Gaulle visited

1734-719: A real popular representation and marginalizes many communities especially the Christian one throughout the country. Aoun opposed this electoral law choice and was fought by a quadruple alliance grouping Anti-Syrian (the Future Movement , the Progressive Socialist Party , the Lebanese Forces and some other parties) and Pro-Syrian (Amal and Hezbollah) main political parties against the Free Patriotic Movement headed by General Michel Aoun. In this context, Aoun surprised many observers by entering into electoral alliances with

1836-474: Is a W221 Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard armoured limousine and it is escorted by the Republican Guard 's SUVs and other security vehicles including the preceding official state car, an armoured W140 S 600 now possibly used as a backup limo. Thirty to sixty days before the expiration of a president's term, the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies calls for a special session to elect a new president, which selects

1938-631: Is a Lebanese politician and former general who served as the 13th president of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 to 30 October 2022. Born in Haret Hreik to a Maronite Christian family, Aoun joined the Military Academy in 1955 and graduated as an artillery officer in the Lebanese Army. In 1984, he became the youngest Commander of the Army , at the age of 49. On 22 September 1988, during the fourth phase of

2040-554: Is the Liberation?" ( Arabic : متى التحرير؟ ) in which he said: "Till the day of actual liberation becomes a reality, we refuse to participate in festivities of freezing and leave its ecstasy for the drug addicts". In 2001, Aoun started working with the Council of Lebanese American Organizations and the Lebanese expatriates in order to change the American public opinion regarding Lebanon. At

2142-444: Is the vacancy in the Lebanese presidency which has occurred for three consecutive times; no Lebanese president has directly transferred power to a successor without vacancy since Elias Hrawi was succeeded by Emile Lahoud in 1998. Unlike several other countries, the Lebanese constitution does not mention an "interim/acting" president. The constitution specifically states that the post of the presidency remains vacant, and some powers of

SECTION 20

#1732859033488

2244-675: The Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. During the peaks of the civil war, an election was held in the Parliament of Lebanon on 23 August 1982, resulting in Lebanese Forces leader Bachir Gemayel being elected President of the Lebanese Republic after being the sole contender. He was the youngest president to be elected. He notably has close relations with Israel, which lead to his assassination in an explosion that killed more than thirty people by SSNP member Habib Shartouni . He

2346-535: The Cedar Revolution helped achieve the withdrawal of Syrian troops and security forces from Lebanon, and a change in governments, paving the way for return of Aoun to Lebanon. Aoun held a short press conference at Beirut International Airport before heading with a convoy of loyalists and journalists to the "Grave of the Un-named Soldiers and Martyrs". After praying and expressing his gratitude and blessing to

2448-578: The Lebanese Civil War , the departing President Amine Gemayel appointed him as the interim Prime Minister of a Military Government after the parliament failed to elect a new president, and dismissed the current government headed by the Acting Prime Minister Selim Hoss. This controversial decision saw the rise of two rival governments contending for power at that time, with Aoun being supported mainly by Christians and Iraq , while

2550-408: The Lebanese Forces , Future Movement , Progressive Socialist Party as well as Hezbollah to become the thirteenth President of Lebanon. He is the oldest president, taking office at the age of 83 years. After his election, he was sworn in and succeeded Michel Suleiman . In 2019, the country descended into chaos with a popular uprising , bringing millions of Lebanese in Lebanon and abroad to take to

2652-568: The Levant . In July 1939, Catroux was appointed Governor General of French Indochina , and in August 1939, one month before the declaration of war, took over from a senior civil servant, Jules Brévié . Paris wanted to send a strong signal to the Far East on the eve of hostilities. However, after the first Japanese ultimatum of 17 June 1940, and following disagreements with the new Vichy government, Catroux

2754-630: The Shiite -dominated Amal -Hezbollah alliance. The FPM won 21 seats in the parliament, and formed the largest Christian bloc in Lebanon, and second biggest bloc in the Lebanese Parliament. In 2006, Michel Aoun and Hassan Nasrallah met in Mar Mikhayel Church, Chiyah, a venue that symbolizes Christian–Muslim coexistence as the Church, located in the heart of the mainly Muslim Beirut southern suburb,

2856-820: The presidency for a Maronite Christian, and as the Prime Minister assumes the powers and duties of the President in the event of a vacancy, it would be proper to fill that office temporarily with a Maronite. Gemayel referenced the historical precedent of 1952, when General Fouad Chehab, a Christian Maronite, was appointed as prime minister of a transition government following the resignation of President Bechara El Khoury . On 15 February 1989 General Aoun launched an offensive, with those Lebanese Army Brigades loyal to him (30% of whom were Sunni ), against Geagea's Lebanese Forces (LF) positions around Christian East Beirut. Nine days later, 24 February, with seventy people killed and

2958-527: The same day attacks . After some hesitation about going, Aoun did travel to the United States, and met with several senators and representatives, but could not enter the congress because of the anthrax attacks . His talks did not lead to the result that he was seeking. Although the Bush administration refused dealing with Aoun initially, they sent him a delegation of officials responsible for Lebanese affairs from

3060-482: The 99 seats each. In addition, government authority was challenged by the presence of armed Palestinian guerrillas in the south of the country, and clashes between the Lebanese army and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) became increasingly frequent. For a long time, Helou resisted their demands, but in 1969, after failing to end the rebellion militarily, he finally gave in, hoping that

3162-663: The Acting Prime Minister, the other, military and Christian, in East Beirut, led by Michel Aoun as the Interim Prime Minister. Aoun held the additional portfolio of minister of defense . Gemayel's move was of questionable validity, as it violated the unwritten National Pact of 1943, which reserved the position of prime minister for a Sunni Muslim . Gemayel argued, however, that as the National Pact also reserved

President of Lebanon - Misplaced Pages Continue

3264-589: The Arab war effort, while many Christians wished to eschew participation. Helou managed to keep Lebanon from entanglement, apart from a brief air strike, but found it impossible to put the lid on the tensions that had been raised. Parliamentary elections in 1968 revealed an increasing polarization in the country, with two major coalitions , one pro-Arab Nationalism, led by Rashid Karami and the other pro-Western, led jointly by former president Camille Chamoun , Pierre Gemayel and Raymond Eddé , both made major gains and won 30 of

3366-585: The Chamber of Deputies), which are Lebanese citizenship and attainment of the age of twenty-one years. Though not specifically stated in the constitution, an understanding known as the National Pact , agreed in 1943, customarily limits the office to members of the Maronite Christian community. This is based on a gentlemen's agreement between Lebanon's Maronite Christian president Bechara El Khoury and his Sunni Muslim prime minister Riad Al Solh , which

3468-684: The Chamber of Deputies. However, the Constitution was again suspended by the French high commissioner in September 1939, at the outbreak of World War II. During World War II when the Vichy government assumed power over French territory in 1940, General Henri Fernand Dentz was appointed as high commissioner of Lebanon. This new turning point led to the resignation of Lebanese president Émile Eddé on 4 April 1941. After five days, Dentz appointed Alfred Naqqache for

3570-457: The Chehabist nominee in the 1970 election - who lost the vote by a margin of only 1 vote - was elected on the second round of voting with 66% of the votes. He was the only person to receive a vote during the election, all other ballots containing blank votes. Almost a third of MPs were absent from the parliamentary session. As outgoing President Frangieh's term expired on 23 September of that year, he

3672-455: The Christian part of Beirut than the previous 15 years of civil war. It ended with the LF remaining in control of East Beirut, the harbour and Kisrawan province. Around 1000 people were killed and both East and West Beirut left without electricity and badly damaged water supply. The Gulf War had its repercussions on Aoun's government. Aoun had asked for help and the only unconditional help he received

3774-905: The Commander of the Command and Service Company and Commander of the Administrative Detachment in 1970. At the start of the civil war, Aoun was the commander of the Second Artillery Corps of the Army. He took part in the Tel al-Zaatar massacre , claiming that he developed and planned the siege of the camp and its storming. He directed the attack, which resulted in destruction of it, and the Palestinian refugees being displaced. In 1978, he went to France again for more military training at École Supérieure de Guerre. In 1980, Aoun returned to Lebanon and

3876-622: The Constitution and the laws of the Lebanese Nation and to maintain the independence of Lebanon and its territorial integrity. As described in the constitution, the president is commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces and security forces; may appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet; promulgates laws passed by Parliament; may also veto bills; and may dissolve Parliament. In addition, he may also issue "emergency" legislation by decree. In practice, however, Lebanon being

3978-506: The Free French after the defeat of Vichy General Henri Dentz and the Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre . Shortly after taking up the post, Catroux, in the name of the Free French movement, recognised the independence of Syria. De Gaulle subsequently appointed him Governor General of Algeria in 1943-44. Officially honored as a French liberation fighter, Catroux was Minister for North Africa in

4080-552: The Lebanese President declared the Constitutional Document on 14 February 1976 that was the first serious initiative to end the conflict and reach a consensus. The document empowered prime minister and suggested a "parity between Christians and Muslims in Parliament", reducing the power of Maronites. Although it was supported by major politicians and religious leaders, it could not achieve its objectives. Élias Sarkis,

4182-492: The Lebanese government wanted to take him to trial. After months of negotiations, he was given conditional amnesty and left to Cyprus and then to France on a French warship on 29 August 1991, where he started his exile. On 14 July 1994, he established the Free Patriotic Movement in what he called "The National Conference". On 27 May 2000, two days after the Resistance and Liberation Day Michel Aoun wrote an article titled "When

President of Lebanon - Misplaced Pages Continue

4284-587: The Lebanese government. FPM members, Issam Abu Jamra as Deputy-Prime Minister, Gebran Bassil as Minister of Telecommunications, and Mario Aoun as Minister of Social Affairs were elected into government. It is the Movement's first participation in any Lebanese Government. The results of the 2009 elections granted the FPM 27 parliamentary seats. One of them was won by Aoun from Keserwan . In November 2009, and after 6 months of strong political pressure by General Michel Aoun himself, by refusing any participation in

4386-573: The Maronite community sent a delegation to welcome him, and even the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah Party sent a delegation. In the election at the end of May 2005, the political leaders of the Syrian occupation imposed to run the elections with the 2000 electoral law; a law that Critics argue was implemented by Syrian intelligence chief Ghazi Kanaan and Rafic Hariri , that does not provide for

4488-504: The Martial Court, three of which are Christian and three are Muslims. He also dismissed the civilian administration of acting Prime Minister Salim al-Huss . The Muslims refused to serve, and submitted their resignations on the next day. Gemayel accuses Syria of forcing them to do so, claiming that they accepted their roles when he contacted them. He also says that he considered forming a cabinet of judges or politicians. Having failed to form

4590-583: The National Assembly. The FPM failed however to win any seats in Northern Lebanon due mainly to the 2000 electoral law that gave the pro Hariri Muslim community of Tripoli an easy veto over any Christian candidate in its electoral district, thus falling short of its objective of holding the balance of power between the main "anti-Syrian" opposition coalition (formerly known to be Syria's strong allies) led by Saad Hariri (which won an absolute majority) and

4692-417: The Palestinian guerrillas would confine their operations to cross-border attacks against Israel and would stop challenging the Lebanese government. As it turned out, the clashes only intensified. In 1970, Helou endorsed Elias Sarkis as his chosen successor, but the latter lost the election in the National Assembly by one vote to Suleiman Frangieh . Civil war in Lebanon began on 13 April 1975. Frangieh as

4794-457: The Parliament. In 2006, he signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah , starting a major alliance that has remained ever since. Despite the bloody history with the regime of Hafez al-Assad , father of Bashar al-Assad , Aoun visited Syria in 2008, ending his long rivalry with Damascus . In 2016, Aoun reconciled with Geagea after signing the Maarab Agreement , and was endorsed by

4896-478: The Prime Minister and Speaker have begun considering the Council of Ministers to hold the power of the President. The first Lebanese constitution was promulgated on 23 May 1926, and subsequently amended several times. Modeled after that of the French Third Republic , it provided for a bicameral parliament with Chamber of Deputies and a Senate (although the latter was eventually dropped), a president, and

4998-746: The State Department, and explained the American position on the issue. Later on, tensions grew between the United States and Syria, with the latter being accused of supporting terrorism and not standing by the United States in the War on Terror. Engel introduced the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act in the House of Representatives on 12 April 2003. Aoun was invited to testify in congress, which he did on 17 September. In his testimony, he criticized Syria in several ways. Aoun's testimony

5100-470: The US Congress. In 2005, a chain of widespread demonstrations triggered by the assassination of Rafic Hariri erupted in Lebanon, resulted in the withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country. On 7 May, Aoun returned to Lebanon. Aoun was elected to the Parliament for the first time in the same year, while his party won 21 seats in the parliament, forming the largest Christian bloc, and second biggest bloc in

5202-498: The United Arab Republic. Chehab was viewed as a compromise candidate; he was not interested in the presidency until "it became clear that he was the only candidate who had any hope of wide acceptance." As a result, he consented to be nominated on 28 July, only three days before the election. Following a path of moderation and co-operating closely with the various religious groups, and with both secular and religious forces, Chehab

SECTION 50

#1732859033488

5304-436: The area. Under various political pressures from both inside and outside Lebanon, de Gaulle decided to recognize the independence of Lebanon. On 26 November 1941, General Georges Catroux announced that Lebanon would become independent under the authority of the Free French government. Elections were held in 1943 and on 8 November 1943, the new Lebanese government unilaterally abolished the mandate. The French reacted by throwing

5406-605: The army commander-in-chief to run for office. This amendment is believed to have been backed by Syria . His presidency was secured following the receipt of 118 votes from the 128-member Lebanese Parliament. When he became Lebanon's president in 1998, he aligned himself with Hezbollah , and picked his own man as prime minister, Selim al-Hoss . This led to heightened tensions between Rafiq Hariri and Lahoud. During his term, he exerted more control over government decision-making than Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri or Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri . In 2007, his presidential term ended. However,

5508-481: The army to interfere in the uprising that forced Lebanese President Bechara El Khoury to resign. Chehab became the prime minister of Lebanon in September 1952, and hold the additional portfolio of defense minister . Chehab was then appointed president with the duty to ensure an emergency democratic presidential election. Four days later, Camille Chamoun was elected to succeed El Khoury. During Chamoun's presidency, Lebanon experienced an economic boom, in particular in

5610-602: The civil war ended when Aoun was forced to surrender following an attack on the presidential palace by Syrian and Lebanese military forces. Al-Huss subsequently resigned as prime minister, in favour of Omar Karami . Following the Taif Agreement to end the civil war , the National Assembly met on 5 November 1989 at the Qoleiat air base in North Lebanon and elected Moawad as President of Lebanon. The post had been vacant since

5712-513: The civilian administration of acting Prime Minister Selim Hoss . The Muslims refused to serve, and submitted their resignations on the next day. Gemayel accuses Syria of forcing them to do so, claiming that they accepted their roles when he contacted them. The two ended up heading rival administrations; with Aoun occupying the presidential palace at Baabda , al-Huss established his own office in Muslim-dominated West Beirut . In 1990,

5814-848: The construction, banking and tourism sectors. He implemented a 1954 law on the creation of joint-stock companies and a 1956 law on banking secrecy. According to Fawwaz Traboulsi, Chamoun concentrated power into his hands, blurring the limits of democracy and autocracy. In 1958, President Camille Chamoun was forced to resign after he attempted to amend the constitution to allow for his reelection. Pan-Arabists and other groups backed by Gamal Abdel Nasser , with considerable support in Lebanon's Muslim (particularly Sunni ) community attempted to overthrow Chamoun's government in June 1958. Clashes then ensued between Sunni Arab Nationalists and pro-government Christians. This led to American intervention with Operation Blue Bat on 15 July 1958 by president Dwight D. Eisenhower in

5916-596: The current government of Lebanon was unconstitutional, claiming that the government had "made corruption a daily affair" and called for the resignation of the government. Hundreds of thousands of supporters of this party, the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, according to the Internal Security Forces (ISF), gathered in Downtown Beirut trying to force Fouad Siniora to abdicate. On 11 July 2008, Aoun's party entered

6018-440: The early years of his distinguished military career, Catroux moved from Algeria (where he met Charles de Foucauld and then Lyautey ) to Indochina. In 1915, while commanding a battalion, he was taken prisoner by the Germans. During his time in captivity, Catroux met Charles de Gaulle , who was then a captain. After World War I, he became a member of the French military mission to Arabia, and then served in Morocco , Algeria and

6120-431: The election of a Muslim as president. Dissatisfied with Ponsot's conduct, the French authorities replaced him with Count Damien de Martel , who, on 30 January 1934, appointed Habib Pacha Es-Saad as president for a one-year term (later extended for an additional year). Émile Eddé was elected president on 30 January 1936. A year later, he partially reestablished the Constitution of 1926 and proceeded to hold elections for

6222-476: The end of the month Aoun announced a ceasefire with the issue of the militia run ports unresolved. The area had seen the worst violence for three years, with over 90 people killed and several hundred wounded. In October 1989, Lebanese National Assembly members met to draw up the Taif Agreement in an attempt to settle the Lebanese conflict. This accord was later revealed to have been prepared two years earlier by Rafic Hariri. Aoun refused to attend, denounced

SECTION 60

#1732859033488

6324-428: The expiration of Amine Gemayel ’s term in 1988. The National Assembly had failed to elect a successor at that time. Seventeen days after being elected, as he was returning from Lebanon's Independence Day celebrations on November 22, 1989, a 250 kg car bomb was detonated next to Moawad's motorcade in West Beirut , killing him and 23 others. Presidential powers were handed over to the cabinet for two days until Hrawi

6426-406: The first application of the Eisenhower Doctrine in which the US announced that it would intervene to protect regimes that it considered to be threatened by international communism. The president of Lebanon is elected by the Parliament of Lebanon . In the lead up to the election, parliament was divided into factions, namely those who supported western nations and Chamoun and those favoring Nasser and

6528-441: The first government of Charles de Gaulle from 9 September 1944 to 21 October 1945, and became ambassador to the USSR in 1945-48 . After the unrest in Morocco, Catroux negotiated the return of the sultan Mohammed V in 1955. As Resident Minister in Algeria for the government of Guy Mollet in 1956, he was unable to take up his post because of demonstrations in Algiers by French residents on 6 February. Catroux presided over

6630-422: The formation of divided cabinets. The perceived weakness of the president is thus rooted in political, rather than constitutional, issues. Following the ratification of the Ta'if Accord, the Constitution laid out a preamble for the three "key" executive posts: the president, the prime minister, and the Council of Ministers. The preamble states the following: The President of the Republic is the Chief of State, and

6732-459: The government that was inferior to the 2008 participation, Prime Minister Saad Hariri eventually gave in. The Free Patriotic Movement nominated three ministers to join the first government headed by Saad Hariri, who would receive the ministry of telecommunications, the ministry of energy and water, and the ministry of tourism. Aoun and his allies got one third of the government, but were one minister short of having veto power. On 12 January 2011, in

6834-400: The importance of having normal diplomatic relations with Syria and the request for information about the Lebanese political prisoners in Syria and the return of all political prisoners and diaspora in Israel . After this event, Aoun and his party became part of the March 8 Alliance . On 1 December 2006, Michel Aoun declared to a crowd of protesters that the current government of Lebanon

6936-439: The intervention of the Maronite Patriarchate the LF agreed to hand over to Aoun control of Beirut's port's fifth basin with its estimated $ 300,000 per month tax revenue. Suleiman Frangieh , in the north, also returned control of Ras Salaata port in Batroun District The following month, Aoun launched a blockade against the unregulated seaports south of Beirut at Jieh and Khalde . On 8 March 1989 Aoun's patrol boats intercepted

7038-437: The issue argues that the quorum is a two-thirds majority of the total members of Parliament as Article 49 of the constitution requires a two-thirds voting majority to elect the president in the first round and, if the quorum were half plus one, there would have been no need to require the two-thirds voting majority when the number of deputies present at the meeting does not exceed the quorum. A recurrent theme in Lebanese politics

7140-415: The new government into prison. The High Commissioner installed Eddé as president. Ten days later, however, under pressure from France's Allies in World War II, the French removed Eddé from office and restored the government of Bechara El Khoury on 21 November. Parliamentary elections were held in May 1947 but many protested claiming that it was rigged deeming the parliament as illegitimated. However El Khoury

7242-407: The office of president, thus dividing the Chamber of Deputies. To break the deadlock, some deputies suggested Shaykh Muhammad al Jisr , who was chairman of the Council of Ministers and the Muslim leader of Tripoli , as a compromise candidate. However, French high commissioner Henri Ponsot suspended the constitution on 9 May 1932, and extended the term of Debbas for one year; in this way he prevented

7344-452: The other being supported by Muslims and Syria . Aoun declared the War of Liberation against Syrian Army forces on 14 March 1989, opposed the Taif Agreement , refused to recognize the newly elected presidents René Moawad and Elias Hrawi , clashed with the Lebanese Forces led by Samir Geagea , and survived an assassination attempt on 12 October 1990. On 13 October, the Syrian forces launched

7446-431: The people, he went on to the grave site of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri . Then, he visited Samir Geagea who was in the 11th year of a lifetime jail sentence, condemned for alleged and disputed responsibility for politically motivated assassinations during the 15-year civil war. His journey continued to Martyr's Square where he was greeted by supporters of the Cedar Revolution . After his arrival, Aoun moved into

7548-636: The politicians who did so as traitors, and issued a decree dissolving the assembly. After the Taif accord was signed over his opposition, Aoun further denounced it for not appointing a date for the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon. After it signed the Taif Accord (in Taif, Saudi Arabia), the assembly met to elect René Moawad as president in November. Despite heavy-handed pressure from Syria to dismiss Aoun, Moawad relented; his presidency ended 17 days later when he

7650-418: The population was strengthened during this period. Thus, for example, the president ought to be a Maronite Christian , the prime minister a Sunni Muslim , and the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies a Shia Muslim . A Greek Orthodox and a Druze would always be present in the cabinet. This practice increased sectarian tension by providing excessive power to the Maronite president (such as the ability to choose

7752-465: The powers of the presidency, as they will be delegated to the council of ministers as a whole. Michel Aoun Commander of the Army Leader of FPM President of Lebanon 2016–2022 Une certaine vision du Liban [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Michel Naim Aoun ( Arabic : ميشال نعيم عون , Lebanese Arabic: [miˈʃæːl naˈʕiːm ʕawn] ; born 30 September 1933)

7854-524: The presidency are as follow: The Presidential Residence was first located in Beirut and then moved to Sin el-Fil and Jounieh. In 1960s the residence was moved to the Baabda Palace after its construction, located southeast of Beirut , where Charles Helou was the first to serve in. In 1943 the Beittedinne Palace was declared as the official summer residence of the president. The president's car

7956-470: The presidency are transferred to the council of ministers. Article 62 in the Lebanese constitution specifically states this: "Should there be a vacancy in the Presidency for any reason whatsoever, the Council of Ministers shall exercise the authorities of the President by delegation." After Michel Aoun left the presidency in 2022 to vacancy, prime minister Najib Mikati said that he did not personally assume

8058-454: The president's power, as he is still the sole person who can nominate and fire the prime minister and the Cabinet. His major responsibilities (following Ta'if) include: Previously to Ta'if, the president only needed the "favourable advice" of his ministers, rather than a clear consensus/majority. Nevertheless, while it may seem that the president is a "symbolic role" or significantly subjected to

8160-485: The prime minister), and hindered the formation of a Lebanese national identity. Under the Constitution, the French high commissioner still exercised supreme power, an arrangement that initially brought objections from the Lebanese nationalists. Nevertheless, Charles Debbas , a Greek Orthodox , was elected the first president of Lebanon three days after the adoption of the Constitution. At the end of Debbas's first term in 1932, Bishara al-Khuri and Émile Eddé competed for

8262-431: The streets, mainly caused by the liquidity crisis , political corruption and sectarianism . With family origins from Haret el Maknouniye, Jezzine, Aoun was born in the mixed Christian- Shiite suburb of Haret Hreik , to the south of Beirut . His father was Naim Aoun who worked as a butcher, while his mother was Marie Aoun, a Lebanese woman who was born in the United States. His family was generally poor. In 1941, he

8364-572: The symbol of the unity of the Homeland. He ensures the respect of the Constitution, and the maintenance of Lebanon's independence, its unity, and its territorial integrity in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. He chairs the Higher Defence Council. He is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces which are subject to the authority of the Council of Ministers. The posts that come with

8466-481: The time, the United States supported the Syrian occupation and viewed Syria as an important factor for the stability of Lebanon. He contacted Eliot Engel , an American representative, to propose a bill that would help ending the occupation. In July 2001, he was invited to attend a symposium on the Middle East, and after further delays from the State Department, he was granted an entry visa on 11 September, right before

8568-466: The will of his ministers, constitutionally, it is not so. The president retains the right to fire the entire government at will and is still the person who nominates every minister - thereby effectively ensuring that they will all be favorable to him. In practice, the president's office has been weakened because of a) no clear majorities of parties and blocs in Parliament, b) the election of "consensus" (meaning generally weak, or different), presidents, and c)

8670-579: Was a French Army general and diplomat who served in both World War I and World War II , and served as Grand Chancellor of the Légion d'honneur from 1954 to 1969. Catroux was born in Limoges , Haute-Vienne . He was the son of a career officer who had risen through the ranks. He was educated at the Prytanée National Militaire , and entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1896. In

8772-538: Was able to cool tensions and bring stability back to the nation. His ideology inspired the presidencies of two other presidents. Michel Helou was then elected as the 4th president in 1964. Helou's lack of political affiliation gave him the appearance of a leader able to unite Lebanon and he was chosen to succeed Fuad Chehab as president by the National Assembly . The Six-Day War of 1967, strained sectarian relations in Lebanon. Many Muslims wanted Lebanon to join

8874-636: Was appointed later as the interim commander of the mainly Christian 8th Infantry Brigade , that is credited for protecting the Palestinian refugee camp of Borj Al Barajneh from the sinister fate of Sabra and Chatila, and fought against the pro-Syrian Druze and Palestinian militias at the Battle of Souk El Gharb during the Mountain War . During the Israeli invasion, Aoun's office was at the Museum Crossing. He

8976-454: Was assassinated before officially taking office. He was succeeded by his brother Amine Gemayel . On 22 September 1988, 15 minutes before the expiration of his term, the outgoing president Amine Gemayel appointed Aoun as Prime Minister notwithstanding the tradition of reserving it for a Sunni Muslim, heading a military government to be formed by six members of the Martial Court, three of which are Christian and three are Muslims. He also dismissed

9078-500: Was assassinated. Elias Hrawi was elected in his place. After assuming office as president, Hrawi appointed General Émile Lahoud as commander of the army and ordered Aoun out of the Presidential Palace. Aoun rejected his dismissal. In February 1990 General Aoun launched an offensive against Samir Geagea 's Lebanese Forces (LF) in East Beirut. The three months of intermittent fighting caused more destruction of property in

9180-698: Was condemned by the Lebanese Council of Ministers and pro-Syrian politicians and organizations, and he was accused of plotting with the Zionist Lobby against Lebanon, Syria and the Arab Nation. The bill was approved by both the Senate with an 89–4 vote on 11 November, and the House with a 408–8 vote on 20 November, and was signed by President George W. Bush on 11 December. In the same year, an avowed Aounist candidate, Hikmat Dib , came surprisingly close to winning

9282-568: Was elected at the Park Hotel in Chtoura by 47 out of 53 members of parliament on 24 November 1989. Since Baabda Palace , the president's residence, was destroyed and bombed by Syrian troops in October 1990 to drive out General Michel Aoun , Hrawi lived in future prime minister Rafik Hariri 's Beirut apartment. Emile Lahoud then ran for the presidency in 1998 after having the constitution amended to allow

9384-629: Was forced to leave the house where he was living, as it was occupied by British and Australian forces. He finished his secondary education at the College Des Frères Furn Al Chebbak in 1955 and finished a degree in Maths. He enrolled in the Military Academy as a cadet officer, and graduated as an artillery officer in the Lebanese Army three years later. After his graduation, Aoun joined the Second Artillery Regiment in 1958, and

9486-540: Was from Saddam Hussein , who until 1989 was an ally of the West. On 2 August 1990, Hussein launched his invasion of Kuwait and the US established a coalition against Iraq to liberate Kuwait. President Hafez al-Assad of Syria sided with the coalition, a choice rewarded with a "green light" to crush Aoun's revolt. On 12 October 1990, Aoun survived an assassination attempt as he was addressing his supporters from his balcony. The assailant

9588-501: Was identified as Lebanese Communist Party member, Francois Halal, emerged from the crowd wielding a pistol and shooting twice but missed him. Minutes later he continued his speech. On 13 October Syrian forces attacked the presidential palace in Baabda . The same morning, Aoun took refuge at the French Embassy, where he radioed his units to surrender to Lebanese Army Units under General Lahoud, who had pledged loyalty to Hrawi and his government. France granted Aoun political asylum, but

9690-603: Was ordered to hand over his post to Admiral Jean Decoux on 25 June. He initially ignored the order, and only resigned on 20 July. He then chose to join de Gaulle, who was by now leader of the Free France movement. As a five-star general, Catroux was the most senior officer of the French Army to transfer allegiance. De Gaulle appointed him General Delegate of Free France in the Levant on 24 June 1941. He took control of Syria for

9792-407: Was preserved throughout the wars. The FPM signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah organizing their relation and discussing Hezbollah's disarmament given some conditions. The second and third conditions for disarmament were the return of Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails and the elaboration of a defense strategy to protect Lebanon from the Israeli threat. The agreement also discussed

9894-510: Was promoted to General and appointed as the tenth Commander of the Armed Forces on 23 June 1984, succeeding General Ibrahim Tannous . At the age of 49 years, he was the youngest Commander since the establishment of the position. According to French journalist Alain Ménargues , Aoun had strong relationships with Bachir Gemayel and Israel . He suggested that Aoun proposed to Gemayel signing

9996-457: Was reached in 1943, when Lebanon became independent of France , and described that the president of the Republic was to be a Maronite Christian , the prime minister a Sunni Muslim , and the speaker of Parliament a Shia Muslim . Article 50 of the constitution of Lebanon requires the president to take an oath upon assuming office, which is prescribed thus: I swear by Almighty God to observe

10098-655: Was sent to France to receive further military training at Châlons-sur-Marne . He finished it the following year, and was promoted to Second Lieutenant on 30 September. He was serving during the failed coup of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party in 1961, and was decorated for that. He was trained at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, and became the Assistant of The Commander of the Second Artillery Battalion,

10200-445: Was then also re-elected in 1948 . El-Khoury faced significant opposition from traditional Za'im leaders on whose powers his policies were beginning to impinge. In 1951 an alliance was formed between Camille Chamoun, Pierre Gemayel , Raymond Eddé , Kamal Jumblatt , Phalange and Syrian National Party . On 18 September 1952, amidst widespread demonstrations, El Khoury was forced into resigning. In 1952, Fouad Chehab refused to allow

10302-476: Was therefore sworn on multiple months after the election. It was hoped that Sarkis would be able to unite the warring factions and end the emerging civil war; by September 1976, however, the situation had grown past the government's control as Syria and other countries began interfering and complicating the situation. On 5 March 1980, Sarkis developed his policy as part of his attempts to create national accord: unity, independence, parliamentarian democracy, rejecting

10404-415: Was unconstitutional claiming that the government had "made corruption a daily affair" and called for the resignation on the government. Hundreds of thousands of supporters of this party, the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, according to the Internal Security Forces (ISF), gathered at Downtown Beirut trying to force Fouad Siniora to abdicate. On December 1, 2006, Michel Aoun declared to a crowd of protesters that

#487512