President of Lebanon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of theLebanese Republic |
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Presidential Seal
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| Style | His Excellency |
| Residence | Baabda Palace Beiteddine Palace (summer) |
| Appointer | Parliament |
| Term length | 6 years,
non-renewable immediately but renewable non-consecutively
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| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Lebanon |
| Formation | 1 September 1926 |
| First holder | Charles Debbas |
| Salary | £L225,000,000 annually |
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The President of the Lebanese Republic is the head of state of Lebanon. This important role is held by a person chosen by the parliament. They serve for six years.
A president cannot be re-elected right away. They must wait six years after their term ends before running again. By tradition, the president is always a Maronite Christian. They must also meet the same rules as other members of parliament.
The current president is Joseph Aoun. He started his term on January 9, 2025.
A Look Back at Lebanon's Presidents
Early Days Under French Rule
Lebanon's first constitution was created on May 23, 1926. It was changed several times over the years. This constitution was similar to France's government at the time. It set up a parliament, a president, and a group of ministers.
The president was chosen by the parliament for a six-year term. They could not be re-elected right away. A special custom also grew during this time. Important government jobs were given to people from different religious groups. For example, the president was usually a Maronite Christian. The prime minister was a Sunni Muslim. The speaker of parliament was a Shia Muslim.
This custom aimed to share power. However, it also gave a lot of power to the Maronite president. This made it harder for everyone in Lebanon to feel like one nation. Even with the constitution, the French high commissioner still had the most power. Charles Debbas, a Greek Orthodox Christian, became the first president in 1926.
In 1932, there was a tie for president. To solve this, the French high commissioner stopped the constitution. He extended Debbas's term to prevent a Muslim from becoming president. Later, another French official appointed Habib Pacha Es-Saad as president.
Émile Eddé was elected president in 1936. He brought back parts of the constitution. But it was stopped again in 1939 when World War II began. During the war, the French government changed. General Henri Dentz became the high commissioner. This led to President Eddé resigning in 1941.
After Eddé, Alfred Naqqache was president for a short time. Britain and France fought in Syria and Lebanon. This was because Britain worried about Nazi Germany's influence. After the fighting, General Charles de Gaulle visited Lebanon. He decided to recognize Lebanon's independence.
On November 26, 1941, Lebanon was declared independent. Elections were held in 1943. The new Lebanese government ended the French rule on November 8, 1943. The French reacted by arresting the new government. But under pressure, they brought back the government of Bechara El Khoury.
El Khoury was re-elected in 1948. However, many people protested, saying the election was unfair. El Khoury faced strong opposition from traditional leaders. They felt his policies were taking away their power. In 1952, he was forced to resign after many protests.
Presidents After Independence
In 1952, Fouad Chehab refused to let the army stop the protests. These protests led to President El Khoury's resignation. Chehab became prime minister and defense minister. He was then appointed president to ensure a fair election.
Camille Chamoun was elected president after El Khoury. During his time, Lebanon's economy grew a lot. Especially in building, banking, and tourism. He also made laws to help businesses and banking secrecy. However, some say Chamoun gathered too much power.
In 1958, President Chamoun tried to change the constitution. He wanted to be re-elected. This led to his resignation. Groups supported by Gamal Abdel Nasser tried to overthrow Chamoun's government. This caused clashes between different groups in Lebanon.
The United States stepped in to help. President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent the US army to Lebanon. This was to protect the government from threats. Fuad Chehab was seen as a good choice for president. He was able to calm tensions and bring stability.
Michel Helou became the fourth president in 1964. He was chosen because he seemed able to unite Lebanon. The Six-Day War in 1967 caused problems between religious groups. Many Muslims wanted Lebanon to join the Arab war. Many Christians wanted to stay out of it.
Helou kept Lebanon mostly out of the war. But tensions remained high. In 1968, elections showed the country was becoming more divided. Two main groups gained power. One supported Arab nationalism, the other supported Western countries.
Armed Palestinian fighters in the south also challenged the government. Clashes between the Lebanese army and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) became common. Helou tried to stop them. In 1969, he gave in, hoping they would only attack Israel. But the clashes only got worse.
In 1970, Helou supported Elias Sarkis to be the next president. But Sarkis lost by one vote to Suleiman Frangieh.
The Civil War Years
The Civil War in Lebanon started on April 13, 1975. President Frangieh tried to end the conflict in 1976. He suggested giving more power to the prime minister. He also suggested equal power for Christians and Muslims in parliament. This plan was supported by many leaders. But it did not stop the war.
Élias Sarkis was elected president in 1976. He was the only person to receive a vote. Many members of parliament were not there. He hoped to unite the groups and end the war. But by September 1976, the situation was out of control. Other countries like Syria started to get involved.
During the war, Bachir Gemayel was elected president in 1982. He was the youngest president ever. He had close ties with Israel. Sadly, he was assassinated before he could officially start his job. His brother, Amine Gemayel, took over.
In 1988, just before his term ended, President Amine Gemayel appointed Michel Aoun as prime minister. This was unusual because the prime minister is usually a Sunni Muslim. Aoun led a military government. This led to two rival governments. Aoun stayed in the presidential palace. The other prime minister, Selim Hoss, set up his office in West Beirut. The civil war ended in 1990. Aoun was forced to surrender after an attack on the palace.
After the Civil War
After the Taif Agreement ended the civil war, the parliament elected Rene Moawad as president in 1989. The position had been empty since 1988. Just 17 days after being elected, Moawad was killed by a car bomb. This happened on November 22, 1989.
Presidential powers went to the cabinet for two days. Then Elias Hrawi was elected president. The president's home, Baabda Palace, was damaged in the war. So Hrawi lived in a Beirut apartment.
Emile Lahoud became president in 1998. The constitution was changed to allow him to run. He was the army commander-in-chief. Many believe Syria supported this change. Lahoud won with many votes from parliament. He worked closely with Hezbollah. He also chose his own prime minister, Selim al-Hoss. This caused tension with Rafiq Hariri. Lahoud had a lot of control over government decisions. His term ended in 2007.
After Lahoud, there was no president for six months. This was due to a political disagreement. Finally, Michel Suleiman, a former army chief, was elected president.
Today's Presidency
From May 2014 to October 2016, the presidency was empty. Parliament could not get enough votes to choose a new president. This lasted for almost two and a half years. On October 31, 2016, Michel Aoun was elected president. He served until October 30, 2022.
After Aoun's term ended, parliament again struggled to elect a new president. The position was empty for some time. However, on January 9, 2025, Joseph Aoun was finally sworn in as president.
The President's Job
Who Can Be President?
The constitution says the president must meet the same rules as a member of parliament. This means they must be a Lebanese citizen. They also must be at least 21 years old.
There is also an unwritten rule called the National Pact. This agreement was made in 1943 when Lebanon became independent. It states that the president must be a Maronite Christian. The prime minister is a Sunni Muslim. The speaker of Parliament is a Shia Muslim.
When a president takes office, they must take an oath. This is a promise to uphold the constitution and laws. They also promise to protect Lebanon's independence and land. The oath says:
I swear by Almighty God to observe the Constitution and the laws of the Lebanese Nation and to maintain the independence of Lebanon and its territorial integrity.
What the President Does
Lebanon is a parliamentary republic. This means the president shares power with the Council of Ministers. The president's role is important, but many powers are shared.
Here are some of the president's duties:
- They are the commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces. But the army is under the Council of Ministers. So this role is mostly symbolic.
- They approve laws passed by parliament.
- They work with the prime minister and ministers to make international agreements. Some agreements also need parliament's approval.
- They choose a prime minister candidate after talking with the Speaker of Parliament. This candidate then forms a government.
- Once the prime minister candidate wins a vote from parliament, the president formally appoints them.
- They can ask the Council of Ministers to dissolve parliament.
- They can ask parliament to look at laws again.
- They can issue "emergency" laws with the Council of Ministers' agreement.
- They can fire a minister if two-thirds of the cabinet agrees and the prime minister signs it.
The president's powers were reduced in 1990. This happened under the Ta'if Agreement. The Council of Ministers gained more power. Before, the president only needed "favorable advice" from ministers.
The main home for the president is the Baabda Palace. It is located southeast of Beirut. Charles Helou was the first president to use it. The Beittedinne Palace is the official summer home.
The President's Car
The president's official car is a special armored limousine. It is a W221 Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard. It is escorted by SUVs and other security vehicles from the Republican Guard.
How a President is Chosen
Thirty to sixty days before a president's term ends, the Speaker of Parliament calls a special meeting. This meeting is to elect a new president. The election uses a secret ballot. To win, a candidate needs two-thirds of the votes in the first round. If no one gets two-thirds, a second vote is held. In the second vote, only a simple majority is needed.
A person cannot be re-elected president until six years have passed. This is from the end of their first term.
When the Presidency is Empty
Sometimes, the presidency in Lebanon becomes empty. This has happened three times in a row. No president has directly handed power to a successor since Elias Hrawi in 1998.
The Lebanese constitution does not mention an "acting" president. It says the presidency remains empty. Some of the president's powers are then given to the Council of Ministers. Article 62 of the constitution states: "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."
When Michel Aoun left office in 2022, the prime minister said he would not take on the president's powers alone. Instead, these powers would be given to the Council of Ministers as a whole.
See also
- Prime Minister of Lebanon
- Legislative Speaker of Lebanon
