Aoun’s dream comes true
Former general Michel Aoun, who once waged a “war of liberation” against Syria but later allied with Hizbullah, is poised to achieve his long-cherished dream of becoming Lebanon’s president. At the age of 81, Aoun, a controversial figure in Lebanese politics who is either revered or loathed, has finally won the support of two fierce rivals, Samir Geagea and ex-premier Saad Hariri. Both men are opposed to the Syrian regime and its ally, the Hizbullah, but have decided to back Aoun — a charismatic figure for supporters but derided by his critics as an autocrat — to fill a post that has remained empty for more than two years.
A Maronite Christian, Aoun was born in the working-class Beirut suburb of Haret Hreik and like many Lebanese from modest backgrounds he chose a military career.
He rose through the ranks during Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war and became the army’s youngest-ever commander in chief in 1984.
Four years later, Aoun was named head of one of two rival governments that emerged after outgoing president Amin Gemayel dismissed the sitting prime minister.
Retaining the post until October 1990, he launched an unsuccessful “war of liberation” against the Syrian army that had entered Lebanon 14 years earlier. He also tried in vain to disarm Geagea’s Lebanese Forces militia, dividing the community between the two leaders, before he was forced into exile by a Syrian-backed offensive.
After 15 years of exile in France, Aoun returned to Lebanon following the February 14, 2005 assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri, which led two months later to the withdrawal of Syrian troops.
Running on a ticket opposed to confessionalism and corruption, his political movement won 21 seats in the 128-member parliament in Lebanon’s first post-Syrian withdrawal elections held in May-June 2005.
He insisted he wanted to be a national politician and turn the page on the sectarian politics that fuelled the civil war and still determined the electoral system. “I refuse to act as a Christian leader — I’m a Lebanese citizen,” he said.
Aoun has made no secret of his presidential ambitions since Michel Sleiman completed his term as head of state in May 2014.
But parliament failed to reach consensus on a successor with its political landscape divided by the war in neighbouring Syria.
Sleiman Frangieh threw his hat into the ring in November 2015 with the backing of Saad Hariri. But his ambition was thwarted by Hariri ally Geagea. Geagea announced his support for Aoun in January 2016 and Hariri endorsed the former army chief on Thursday.
The parliament is expected to convene next week for its 46th session to vote on a president — the first expected to actually produce a result.