BEIRUT: Mixed reviews emerged from the streets of Beirut Friday over former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s decision to endorse MP Michel Aoun. The general atmosphere was one of dissatisfaction. Although the move appeared highly unlikely just a few weeks ago, Hariri Thursday endorsed his Hezbollah-affiliated rival for the vacant presidency.
Aoun, founder of the Free Patriotic Movement, has the largest Christian parliamentary bloc. It is the second largest in Parliament after Hariri’s.
In the predominately Sunni neighborhood of Al-Tariq Al-Jadideh, traditionally associated with Hariri’s Future Movement, a number of residents said they did not support the choice.
“I am not satisfied with the move because it is what the others in March 8 wanted to happen,” Zeina Damerji told The Daily Star, referring to Hezbollah and its allies. “Of course there has been a submission. It would’ve been better if he [Hariri] kept up his support for Sleiman Frangieh.”
Before offering his support for Aoun, Hariri previously pushed for Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh for presidency. He initially backed Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who has since endorsed Aoun.
Lebanon has been without a head of state since the term of President Michel Sleiman ended in May 2014. Lawmakers have repeatedly failed to select a successor as legislators have boycotted the elections.
Damerji expressed her frustration with the political class, saying that regardless of the endorsement, the Lebanese people are the ones paying the price for what she described as “under the table deals.”
Fixing the wool in his shop, Salim Mikati also said he was not happy with Hariri’s decision. Mikati’s discontent stems from the Future Movement’s past political experiences with the FPM.
“There were days when the FPM betrayed and insulted Hariri and now he extends his hands to them again?” Mikati said, adding that his support for the Future Movement has been affected by Hariri’s decision.
Ministers of Hezbollah and its March 8 allies, including the FPM, met at Aoun’s residence in Rabieh in 2011. It was from there that Energy Minister Gebran Bassil announced the resignation of the March 8 ministers from the government, which at the time was headed by Hariri.
The desertion brought down the 30-member government. The announcement came as Hariri was meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House. It was widely perceived as being timed to embarrass him.
Mikati noted that the former prime minister’s popularity among his community could be affected by his endorsement of Aoun.
Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Future Movement MP Ammar Houri are among the members of the Future parliamentary bloc who have declared their opposition to Aoun’s candidacy.
Speaker Nabih Berri, leader of the Amal Movement, is one of Aoun’s main opponents. He continues to support Frangieh.
“Did you see Siniora and Ammar Houri? They reject the idea. And Berri is also against it.”
However, not everyone in Al-Tariq Al-Jadideh opposed Hariri’s move.
Ghomra Masri said she believed that the Future Movement leader was honest and correct when he said Aoun was the only remaining option for the top Christian post.
“At the beginning I had an issue with this,” she said. “But then I realized that he was forced to do [it]. There are things that might be happening that we don’t know of, and he might see that making this move will remove the country from the situation it is in.”
For Masri, Hariri remains the backbone of the Sunni community in Lebanon, and she said that they need to stand by his side.
Opposition to Aoun’s candidacy was also prevalent in the Shiite neighborhood of Zoqaq al-Blat, where political allegiances are divided between the Amal Movement and Hezbollah.
The residents whom The Daily Star spoke to said they did not agree with Hariri’s endorsement, and expressed suspicion of its sincerity.
“I don’t support the move,” Randa Dayraki said. “[Aoun] is not qualified to run a country.”
Dayraki said that even if the lawmakers are the ones who choose a president, the people should also have a say in who will become head of state.
“Given the history, Frangieh remained more suitable than Aoun,” she said.
Hasan Zeineddine echoed Dayraki’s remarks, but expressed doubt that Aoun would win the election. “What you need now is for the whole move to be completed,” he said.
Zeineddine said he did not support Aoun or Frangieh, and believes that the country needs a third candidate to bring lasting stability. “We want a president who will not collect money and leave.”
Support for Hariri’s endorsement of Aoun appeared strongest in the predominately Christian neighborhood of Sassine in Ashrafieh, where both the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb Party enjoy widespread support. Those who hailed Hariri also recognized the role Geagea played in paving the way for Aoun’s endorsement.
“It’s a very good step,” Rami Nasser said. “Aoun has a large [degree of] popularity compared to Frangieh,” he said.
Nasser said he hoped that Aoun would be able to eliminate sectarianism, implement administrative decentralization, and revive the country’s flagging economy.
