Global InformationMichel Aoun information
General Michel Aoun | |
|---|---|
ميشال عون | |
 Aoun in 2022 | |
| 13th President of Lebanon | |
| In office 31 October 2016 – 30 October 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | See list
|
| Preceded by | Tammam Salam (acting) Michel Suleiman |
| Succeeded by | Najib Mikati (acting) |
| Acting 22 September 1988 – 13 October 1990^ Disputed | |
| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Amine Gemayel |
| Succeeded by | Elias Hrawi |
| 28th Prime Minister of Lebanon | |
| In office 22 September 1988 – 13 October 1990^^ Disputed | |
| President | Himself |
| Preceded by | Selim Hoss |
| Succeeded by | Selim Hoss |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 20 April 2005 – 31 October 2016 | |
| Succeeded by | Chamel Roukoz |
| Constituency | Keserwan District |
| Commander of the Armed Forces | |
| In office 23 June 1984 – 27 November 1989 | |
| Preceded by | Ibrahim Tannous |
| Succeeded by | Émile Lahoud |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michel Naim Aoun 30 September 1933 Haret Hreik, Beirut, Lebanon |
| Political party | Free Patriotic Movement |
| Other political affiliations | March 8 Alliance |
| Spouse |
Nadia El-Chami (m. 1968) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | OM ONC |
| Signature |  |
| Nickname(s) | Jebrayel, Raad[1] The General[2] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Lebanon |
| Branch/service | Lebanese Army |
| Years of service | 1958–1991 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Lebanese Civil War |
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|---|---|---|
Commander of the Army
Leader of FPM
President of Lebanon
Une certaine vision du Liban
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Michel Naim Aoun (Arabic: ميشال نعيم عون, Lebanese Arabic: [miˈʃɛl naˈʕiːm ʕaʊ̯n]; born 30 September 1933)[3][4] is a Lebanese politician and former military general who served as the President of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 until 30 October 2022.[5]
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 years. On 22 September 1988 during the fourth phase of 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 the other being supported by Muslims and Syria.
He 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 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 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 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 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 the streets, mainly caused by the liquidity crisis, political corruption and sectarianism.
- ^ بشير الجميل وميشال عون والاتّجاه المعاكس – جورج العاقوري [Bashir Gemayel and Michel Aoun and the opposite direction]. نداء الوطن (in Arabic). 14 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2021.,
- ^ "Lebanon has ended more than two years of political gridlock by electing new president". The Independent. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "The President of the Republic of Lebanon General Michel AOUN". Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "Who is Lebanon's Gebran Bassil?". Reuters. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "Lebanon president leaves with no replacement, crisis deepens". AP NEWS. 30 October 2022.