Report: Kataeb Fears 'One-Party' Ruling Under Aoun

The Kataeb party warned of a “vertical split” and a “one-party” ruling in the country following the endorsement of MP Michel Aoun for the presidency by head of al-Mustaqbal Movement, and stressed that the majority do not support the MP for the top state post, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

“General Aoun does not have the consensus of the Lebanese. There is a vertical split in the country,” Kataeb sources told the daily on condition of anonymity.

“The supporters and adversaries are equal because one-half of the supporters are not convinced with (Free Patriotic Movement founder) Aoun,” they went on to say.

The Kataeb sources stressed the need to address this “split because it will generate a difficult situation at the level of incorporating the basis for a new phase in the country.”

They voiced fears that ruling under “Aoun might be a one-party ruling or a monopolization of the Christian representation between two groups and the abolition of the other parties.”

“Aoun is required to make a tour on previous presidents and leaders to garner a massive support around him and to appease everyone that he will adopt the policy of standing at an equal distance from everyone,” they said.

“Kateab will oppose Aoun until the last minute, but as soon as he is elected we will stand by his side,” they concluded.

Mustaqbal head and ex-PM Saad Hariri had on Thursday formally endorsed Aoun after his previous support for the presidential nomination of Franjieh was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Hariri had launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Hizbullah's ally Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid have argued that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.