Aoun is losing cadres to Lebanese Forces, Kataeb and Marada

Sources close to the opposition told Al-Anbaa Kuwaiti that the Head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun is in a state of anxiety and confusion due to two factors: the failure of his regional bets and the turmoil within the Free Patriotic Movement. This turmoil, which was created by the resignation or the dismissal of former minister Charbel Nahhas, caused division within the FPM and despair for some of the movement’s cadres. Those cadres considered that Aoun abandoned Nahhas and could not replace him with an FPM minister.  

According to the sources, the replacement of Nahhas with Salim Jreissati, who is affiliated to Syria and Hezbollah, is enough proof that Hezbollah is controlling the fate and the course of the cabinet. This also proves that Aoun cannot decide alone whether to sack a minister or not sine he is in so deep with Hezbollah due to his political and financial choices.

The sources added that during the past few years, the “General” has depended on an alliance with the Syrian and the Iranian regimes and Hezbollah, adding that he came up with a number of excuses to justify this alliance. The sources were quoted as saying that Aoun never hid the fact that he was willing to sell his position within the Christian community to buy a seat in power.

According to the sources, Aoun lost a number of Christian supporters because he was not living up to his reform and change promises. The sources stressed that a number of FPM cadres left the movement and joined the Lebanese Forces or the Kataeb party and the ex-Aounist of the north all joined the Marada movement. The same sources added that Deputy PM Issam Abou Jamra is leaning towards the possibility of launching a new reform movement from the FPM.