Michel Aoun (Arabic: ميشال نعيم عون; born 18 February 1935) is a Lebanese political figure and former army officer. He founded the Free Patriotic Movement and served as the country’s 17th President of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 until 31 October 2022. Aoun is a Maronite Christian and his election in 2016 came at the end of a 29‑month vacancy in the presidency.
Early life and military career
Born in 1935, Aoun made his career in the Lebanese Armed Forces and rose to senior command. In the late 1980s he led a military government during the closing years of the Lebanese Civil War and held both military and executive authority in a transitional capacity.
Exile and return to politics
After the end of that period he went into exile in France, where he lived for more than a decade. He returned to Lebanon following political changes in 2005 and established the Free Patriotic Movement as a secular nationalist party focused on reform and national sovereignty.
Presidency (2016–2022)
Aoun was elected president by the Lebanese parliament on 31 October 2016 during its 46th session, ending a prolonged stalemate between political blocs. His presidency coincided with severe challenges for Lebanon, including mass public protests over corruption and governance in 2019 and the catastrophic Beirut port explosion in 2020, which contributed to ongoing political and economic crises.
Political profile
- Founder and long‑time leader of the Free Patriotic Movement.
- Known as a Maronite Christian leader within Lebanon’s confessional political system.
- Former army chief and head of a transitional government in the late 1980s.
The Arabic language is used in many of Aoun’s public statements and documents; for the term “Arabic” in a language context see Arabic.