Alain Joseph Aoun[3] (Arabic: آلان جوزيف عون; born 1971[1][2]) is a Lebanese politician and former member of the Strong Lebanon bloc in the Lebanese parliament.

Alain Aoun
آلان عون
Alain Aoun during an episode of the Sar al Waqt (It's Time) television show in 2020
Born
Alain Joseph Aoun

1971 (age 52–53)[1][2]
NationalityLebanese
EducationÉcole supérieure des affaires (Beirut)[1][2]
Occupation(s)Politician, Member of the Lebanese Parliament, Engineer
Years active1994–present
Political partyFree Patriotic Movement (until 2024)
Independent (2024-present)
SpouseSarah Souhaid
Children3

He is a telecom engineer and holder of an MBA, and a nephew of Lebanese President Michel Aoun. He has been part of the FPM since its creation.[4] He was elected Maronite Member of Parliament for the constituency of Baabda on 7 June 2009, on the Change and Reform list. He was re-elected on 6 May 2018 for a third term. On 20 May 2018, he was elected by the general assembly as Secretary of the Lebanese Parliament.[5]

In August 2024, Alain Aoun was expelled from FPM for his lack of alignments with the parliamentary bloc, like refusing to vote for Jihad Azour in the 2022–2024 Lebanese presidential election.[6]

Biography

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After a professional career spent mainly within the Alcatel group where he held several positions (tendering, construction of telecommunication fixed/mobile networks) in France and abroad, he devoted himself entirely to politics. His political career began when he joined the FPM from its creation when General Michel Aoun then head of government (1988–1990) launched the War of Liberation against the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. After General Aoun's exile in France, Alain Aoun co-founded the Rassemblement pour le Liban (RPL), the official representative of the FPM in France, where he was established. Within the RPL in France and then the FPM in Lebanon, Alain Aoun held several positions of responsibility and took part in all the activities of the FPM in its struggle for the liberation of Lebanon from the Syrian occupation. He has been arrested several times for political reasons. Back in Lebanon, he took part within the FPM in the Cedar Revolution in 2005 which led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon as well as the return of General Michel Aoun to the country after 15 years of exile. He publishes various writings and articles in the press around the events in Lebanon.[4]

On 7 June 2009, he stood for the legislative elections and was elected Maronite deputy for the constituency of Baabda, on the list of the Change and Reform bloc. On 17 August 2015, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil was chosen by Michel Aoun as the new leader of the Free Patriotic Movement. No elections were done because it could have possibly led to fracturing the party, and so Alain Aoun stepped down from candidacy in order for Bassil to be assigned as the new leader. Alain expressed dismay at this electoral process. He was re-elected on 6 May 2018 for a third term. On 20 May 2018, he was elected by the general assembly, secretary of the Lebanese Parliament.[5][7]

On 20 October 2020, he was re-elected as secretary of the parliament.[8]

Personal life

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Aoun is married to Sarah Souhaid with whom he has three kids.[9][10] His father, Joseph, died on 14 March 2018. His uncle is Michel Aoun.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "آلان عون".
  2. ^ a b c "استمرار التعاطي القائم مع المسيحيين سيوصل إلى قناعة متزايدة بالفيديرالية".
  3. ^ "Main candidates registered for elections".
  4. ^ a b "Alain Aoun".
  5. ^ a b Agency, National News. "MPs Alain Aoun, Marwan Hamade elected Parliament secretaries". National News Agency. Archived from the original on 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  6. ^ "Free Patriotic Movement dismisses Alain Aoun". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Bassil Heads FPM as Alain Aoun Expresses Dismay in Electoral Process". Naharnet. November 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Parliament re-elects Alain Aoun as secretary, while MPs Hagop Pakradounian, Samir Jisr and Michel Musa retain their posts as commissioners". L'Orient Today. October 20, 2020.
  9. ^ "Quelqu'un m'a dit..." L'Orient Today. September 14, 2010.
  10. ^ "بالصورة - مبروك للنائب الان عون". Free Patriotic Movement. December 19, 2019.
  11. ^ "رئيس الجمهورية والعائلة يتقبلون التعازي بجوزف عون في مار جرجس". National News Agency. March 15, 2018. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.