Rifi: Aoun Will Never be President

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi said on Sunday that the Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun will never be a president, criticizing the street mobilizations that the latter kicked off during the latest cabinet session.

“Aoun will never be a president. What he did in the streets only indicate a state of national downfall and is a proof that he is not fit to handle responsibility at the level of the state,” said Rifi in an interview to the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily.

“Aoun has realized that his political horizons are now blocked and he is only struggling with his ambitions and personal interests without taking into consideration the results of his demagoguery actions,” added the Minister.

Urging all the “reasonable political parties not to allow Aoun's floundering drive the country into chaos,” he also called on Aoun to be “rational in order for Lebanon to pass out of the state of tension it is living.”

Earlier this week, Aoun had called on his supporters to prepare for rallies, that coincided with a cabinet session, to regain what he described as the “Christians' rights.”

His supporters began preparing to stage anti-government rallies after the cabinet failed to discuss the appointment of high-ranking security and military officials.

Aoun also has aspirations to become a president.