The Core of Leadership: Courage and Planning
An Imaginary Speech by President Joseph Aoun
Televised Address to the Lebanese People at Home and in the Diaspora,
Dear Lebanese Citizens at Home and in the Diaspora,
Today, I stand before you as a servant of Lebanon—a nation that has endured occupations, crises, and betrayals, yet still carries the message of coexistence and hope. The local elections in their first two rounds, marked by low turnout and the state’s numerous and grave misconducts in Tripoli and beyond, have sent a clear message: you, the people, are weary. You are weary of hollow promises, of leaders who pick strawberries while a dangerous, armed seedling threatens our field. You are weary of division, corruption, and a state held hostage. Your silence at the ballot box is louder than any protest—it is a demand for change.
Let me begin by saying that withholding your savings constitutes a grave constitutional harm to the republic’s foundation. This serious misconduct directly contradicts the spirit of holding any election, local or national, as it fundamentally disrespects the fairness of opportunities for all citizens. As President, I hear you. The time for half-measures and empty dialogues is over. Lebanon stands at a crossroads: we can either save our field or watch it crumble into the abyss. Therefore, I pledge to you bold steps to transform this moment of despair into an opportunity for renewal, sovereignty, and freedom.
First, I will convene a national meeting to address the structural cracks in our system. Within 20 days, I will bring together representatives from every sect, region, and walk of life—youth, women, civil society, and our diaspora—not just the usual faces of power. This will not be another superficial dialogue. The meeting will produce a roadmap to tackle our greatest challenges: disarming non-state actors, reforming our constitutional covenant, and reviving our economy. An independent oversight committee, led by respected notables and personalities, will ensure the roadmap’s implementation. I will seek the support of our friends, allies, and international institutions to advance this endeavor. Lebanon will not be a bystander in its own salvation.
Second, I will enforce sovereignty through action. For too long, we have relied on words to address the weapons that divide us. Dialogue alone is not enough. Therefore, I announce a hybrid strategy to fully implement UN Resolution 1701. The Lebanese Armed Forces, which have already seized hundreds of arms caches, will expand operations to dismantle the remaining infrastructure of non-state actors. I offer flexibility to those who surrender their weapons, but let it be clear: those who cling to arms outside the state will face isolation and accountability. I call on our partners—the United States, Saudi Arabia, and all friends—to provide logistical and financial support to strengthen our army and secure our borders. Lebanon’s sovereignty is non-negotiable.
Third, I will support a new political movement, a party embodying civil society, to seek a majority in the new parliament to modernize Lebanon and wage war on corruption and malpractices entrenched in state bureaucracy. The merchants and shadows who plunder our field will no longer hide. The new majority will legislate to appoint an independent legal authority to combat corruption with prosecutorial powers, targeting those who have stolen from you—be they politicians, businessmen, or brokers of influence. A public database will track recovered assets, which will fund hospitals, schools, and jobs. Transparency will be our weapon, and justice our shield. To wield the power of reform, we must hold the power of the majority.
Fourth, I will empower the youth. Their absence from the polls is not apathy—it is a cry for a future stolen from them. Within three months, I will launch a Youth Advisory Council, proposed by Lebanese aged 18 to 35, at home and abroad, through secure online voting. This council will propose reforms to electoral laws, the economy, and governance, with a direct line to parliament. Ten percent of our 2026 budget will fund youth-led initiatives, from tech startups to education. You are not just Lebanon’s future—you are its present, and we will not close our ears to your voice.
Fifth, I will seize the regional moment. As the world seeks peace—from Oman’s talks to the India-Pakistan ceasefire—Lebanon will not stand idle. I will appoint a presidential envoy for regional peace and open the banking system to foreign banks with special entry conditions to enable market share, rather than squandering sovereign gold. I offer to host a regional summit on the safe return of Syrian refugees, easing the burden on our people and theirs. As President Trump visits our region, I extend my hand to secure aid and investment for a Lebanon that stands firm.
Dear Lebanese, these steps are not without risk. Confronting the seedling of division may spark concern or even objection, but it is far better than the abyss of collapse. I know you are tired of words, so judge us by our actions. Every month, the Presidency will report to you—on weapons recovered, assets seized, and reforms enacted. This is not my plan alone—it is ours, together. I call on every free soul in this nation, from Beirut to the Bekaa, from Tripoli to the South, to join us. Let us be the village that uproots the expired seedling, not the farmer who picks strawberries while the field burns.
To our youth, I say: your dreams are our compass. To our diaspora, I say: your voice is our strength. To our army, I say: your courage is our shield. And to those who doubt us, I say: watch Lebanon rise.
May the Phoenix bird of reason guide us, and may God protect our homeland.
Thank you, and let us build Lebanon anew.