Beirut: Former Prime Minister Sa‘ad Hariri announced that he was ready to back the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader General Michel Aoun by default because his first two candidates for the office of president could not be elected. He also announced that he and Aoun agreed on two major points, namely to support the “State” and Lebanon’s “System of Government” based on the 1990 Ta’if Accords, and to protect it from the Syrian Civil War.
In what was a highly emotional presentation Hariri spoke for over thirty minutes on his father, Rafik Hariri’s, accomplishments before being assassinated in 2005.
Both Syria and Hezbollah have been implicated in the murder, although over 10 years later, justice has not been carried out.
Hariri announced that he was “willing to forego everything, including his own life and political popularity”, to save Lebanon.
The backing for Aoun came towards the end of the speech when Hariri acknowledged that the general “was the only choice left” to defend “our destiny.”
Hariri spoke harshly about Hezbollah and reminded everyone that he did not order retaliation when the militia turned its guns against the Lebanese on May 7, 2008.
“Our objective was and is security and stability,” he declared, and all must understand that the Lebanese “cannot save themselves if they do not reach the difficult decisions.”
Hariri’s most critical statement came in the middle of the speech when he stated that he stood by ordinary citizens. He said he would not sacrifice them on the altar of any ideology or project and he wanted peace and prosperity for all.
This was a tough declaration as it targeted Hezbollah and, to a certain extent Aoun as well, although it remains to be determined how such sentiments will be translated on the ground.
At no point in his presentation did Hariri say that he would seek more power, reminding his audience that he could have easily enjoyed the wealth he inherited without getting involved in politics.
How Hariri will now translate this critical endorsement into a full-fledged backing of the constitution is the crux of the matter.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Amal Party are on record for opposing Aoun, while several independent deputies declared that they would cast blank votes.
The Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Junblatt said he “understood” Berri’s reservation on the way in which Aoun’s name was put forward and believed that Hariri was “committing suicide because no one will be subject to problems like him.”
Such warnings did not faze Hariri who affirmed that he wanted to continue his late father’s legacy to support the republic, and only the republic, and that the way to avoid a complete collapse was to fill the office of president first.
By his own volition, however, Hariri acknowledged that this decision was a “major political risk”, which he was willing to take for the sake of the country, even if many of his Future Movement allies opposed him.
Although former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora was present on Thursday evening, he walked in 10 minutes into the speech.
Several other Future Movement deputies, those who would be called to cast votes inside parliament, were noticeably absent.
Among these were Ahmad Fatfat who said earlier in the day that he was not optimistic as he reiterated his rejection of Aoun.
Other absentees included Ammar Houri, Mohammad Qabbani, Hadi Hobeiche, Jamal Jarrah and Serge Toursarkissian and many others.
“What is happening around us does not indicate that we are nearing a settlement,” said Fatfat.
He continued: “What is happening right now is a true political battle as there are those who support Aoun and those who believe his presidency will be a catastrophe.”
Hariri’s much anticipated speech was the subject of broad media speculation for the past two weeks as Lebanon struggles to elect a president amid a 2 ½ year vacuum.
Earlier media reports suggested that Hariri agreed to back Aoun in a deal that would secure him the premiereship.
It was not immediately clear if Aoun’s candidacy would enjoy enough support among other Lebanese politicians to secure the necessary two-thirds quorum for the vote in the 128-seat parliament.
The next scheduled parliamentary session to elect a president is set for October 31.
Hezbollah itself has yet to comment, although Aoun is their official candidate.
But, it is Hezbollah, in fact, that is blocking Aoun’s election, as it refuses to attend parliament sessions.
Observers say the reason is that Damascus prefers a weak state with no president at all.
Hariri, 46, led the anti-Syrian March 14 alliance against Hezbollah and its allies, after the assassination of his father, Rafik Hariri, in 2005.
He became prime minister in 2009, but his cabinet was toppled in 2011 when Hezbollah and its allies resigned.
Aoun heads the largest Christian bloc in the parliament elected in 2009, the last time Lebanese voted. He has been a political ally of Hezbollah since 2006.
Aoun was army commander and led one of two rival governments during the final years of the Lebanese civil war until the Syrian army forced him from the presidential palace and into exile.
He returned to the country in 2005 after Syrian forces withdrew under international pressure following the Hariri assassination.
Aoun, who has been vying for the post since Michel Sulaiman’s term ended in May 2014, has yet to realise his dream, despite being backed by the powerful Shiite Hezbollah militia, and also despite his pro-Syrian political stances.
He also was backed by his rival, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, earlier this year, in a surprise move to push the presidency forward.
The inability for Aoun to be elected into office has sparked wide speculation as to what was really happening behind the scenes.
It made little political sense for Damascus to obstruct his candidacy, given his 180 degree shift from opposing the dynasty of Al Assads (Father and Son), to backing it.
All indications point to an underlying deep mistrust of Aoun by the Syrian regime.
