Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea celebrated the election of army chief Joseph Aoun as president, ending a more than two-year vacancy.

In an interview late Thursday with MTV, Geagea said that Aoun is the first president to be elected without the influence of the ousted Syrian regime and the "Axis of Resistance". He hailed the new president for past achievements, like refusing to suppress the Oct. 17 protests in 2019 and the army's unbiased reaction to the Tayouneh clashes in 2021.

Several lawmakers, including Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil opposed Thursday the election of army chief Joseph Aoun, and objected to what they saw as foreign interference.

In an interview with LBCI, Bassil said that Parliament had received directives from foreign countries, but that still having a president is better than void.

Following the election of army chief General Joseph Aoun as the country’s new president, caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim signed a decree appointing Army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Hassan Audi as acting army commander.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Friday with newly elected president Joseph Aoun at the Presidential Palace in Baabda.

Mikati said he discussed with the new president the situation in south Lebanon and stressed that the Israeli army must completely withdraw from south Lebanon and stop violating the ceasefire reached in November.

Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said Friday that the EU "warmly congratulates Joseph Aoun on his election as President of the Republic of Lebanon," noting that "this significant step marks a moment of hope and renewal for the Lebanese people."

"We commend the Lebanese parliamentarians for reaching a broad consensus, demonstrating responsibility. A spirit of national unity is crucial to allow the participation of all citizens, across all components of society, to overcoming the aftermath of recent conflicts, advancing reconstruction efforts, and embarking on a path of political stabilization and socio-economic recovery," Kallas said in a statement.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein on Thursday told Al-Arabiya English that electing a president is "a great day for Lebanon" and a step toward peace, security and stability, shortly after General Joseph Aoun was elected as the country’s new president.

The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc MP Mohammad Raad announced Thursday that Hezbollah and its ally the Amal Movement protected “national consensus” by choosing to vote for President Joseph Aoun in the second round of the presidential election session.

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, congratulated Thursday Joseph Aoun on his election as President of the Republic of Lebanon. The Special Coordinator welcomed the election of a president as "a long-awaited first step towards overcoming Lebanon’s political and institutional vacuum and providing the Lebanese people with the functioning state institutions they deserve."

"A prime minister must be designated and a government formed without delay. The tasks ahead of the Lebanese State are too monumental to waste any more time," Hennis-Plasschaert stressed. "Now is the moment for each and every decision-maker to put the interest of Lebanon above all personal or political considerations."

Army Commander General Joseph Aoun was elected as the new president of Lebanon Thursday with 99 votes, which ended more than two years of presidential vacuum.

Thirteen MPs voted for “sovereignty and the constitution”, nine cast blank ballots, two voted for the lawyer Chebli Mallat as five ballots were considered spoiled.

Parliament convened Thursday in a session that could see army chief Joseph Aoun elected as president following a vacancy of more than two years.

Before starting to vote, MPs made fiery statements with some of them engaging in verbal clashes over foreign interference in the elections and the unconstitutionality of electing Aoun.