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1 1 (January 16, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/govesdn0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service info~rning the Ieg~sIat~ve debdt0 s nce 1914 Updated January 16, 2025 Lebanon Lebanon's parliament ended a years-long political stalemate in January 2025 by electing a new president, though the country continues to face domestic and security challenges, including a historic economic crisis. Armed clashes that broke out in October 2023 between Israel and the Iran- backed Shia Islamist group Lebanese Hezbollah (a U.S.- designated terrorist organization and major political actor in Lebanon) in relation to the Israel-Hamas war battered already fragile social and political institutions. Other developments in late 2024-including Israeli blows against Hezbollah, a subsequent Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, and the ouster of Bashar al Asad from Syria-may boost long- standing U.S. policies to counter the influence of Iran and Hezbollah and bolster Lebanese state capacity and reform. Government and Poitkcs Lebanon's diverse population of 5.3 million people includes Christian, Sunni Muslim, and Shia Muslim communities of roughly comparable size. Political posts are divided among the country's various religious groups, or confessions, to reflect each group's share of the population-although no formal census has been conducted in the country since 1932. The presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister post for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speakership for a Shia Muslim. Two rival political coalitions largely dominated Lebanese politics after coalescing during demonstrations that took place on different dates in March 2005, when Syria announced an end to its decades-long occupation of much of Lebanon. The March 8 political coalition includes the Free Patriotic Movement or FPM (Christian), as well as Hezbollah and the Amal Movement (both Shia), and has had ties with Syria and Iran. The March 14 coalition traditionally has included the Future Movement (Sunni), and the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb (both Christian), and opposes Syrian and Iranian influence. Since 2019, when Lebanon's economic crisis began (see Economic Crisis), Lebanese politics has undergone a series of upheavals. A protest movement that began in 2019 in response to tax hikes forced the resignation of a March 14-aligned prime minister; his successor resigned following an August 2020 explosion at Beirut's port that killed over 200 people and caused massive damage. May 2022 parliamentary elections did not result in a clear majority for either March 8- or March 14-linked groups, contributing to paralysis on government formation. The elections automatically triggered the government's resignation, placing it in a caretaker capacity and necessitating the appointment of a new prime minister and cabinet. Then-President Michel Aoun and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati did not agree on a new cabinet before the expiration of Aoun's term in October 2022. In twelve rounds of voting from October 2022 to June 2023, Members of Parliament (MPs) failed to select a president. The U.S. Department of State stated in October 2023 that Lebanon's divided parliamentarians were putting their personal ambitions ahead of the interests of their country in failing to elect a president. Figure I. Lebanon Source: Created by CRS using ESRI and Google Maps. Presidentia ection After over two years of deadlock, Lebanon's parliament elected Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) chief Joseph Aoun (no relation to Michel) as president in January 2025. Following weeks of maneuvering, Hezbollah's preferred candidate dropped out and endorsed Aoun in January 2025. Aoun ended up winning with 99 of 128 votes (including at least some from Hezbollah). During his leadership of the LAF from 2017 until his election as president, Aoun generally garnered commendations from U.S. officials. Aoun is the fourth consecutive Lebanese president to have previously served as head of the LAF. In the wake of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, Aoun's election might signify greater influence in Lebanon for countries reportedly supporting him, including the United States, France, and Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials, who previously held sizable sway in Lebanese politics but had largely stepped back in the past five years, reportedly pledged to help finance post- conflict reconstruction if Aoun was elected. President Aoun appointed Nawaf Salam as prime minister after a majority of MPs endorsed Salam; Hezbollah had backed Mikati. Hezbollah Overview. Since its establishment in the 1980s, Hezbollah has been one of the most powerful actors in Lebanon, operating as a militia force, a political party, and a social services provider. It also has remained a terrorist organization with transnational reach. Hezbollah has participated in Lebanese elections since 1992; it currently

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