Activists from the "Free Patriotic Movement" have been mobilizing since Friday evening, preparing to accompany President Michel Aoun as he leaves the presidential palace in Baabda for his new home in Rabieh. Aoun and his close associates decided to vacate Baabda a day before the end of his presidential term, as Monday is a public holiday in Lebanon, allowing for a larger public turnout than would have occurred on that day. The area surrounding the presidential palace has been adorned in orange, the official color of his movement.
Notably, in addition to the orange flags raised on poles along the road leading to the presidential palace, supporters have set up tents in a plaza close to the palace, where they spent the previous night, despite it being an area under tight security after the main security checkpoint of the palace. It remains unclear whether Aoun's supporters will dismantle these tents upon his departure or keep them up as the country enters a vacancy for the presidency, as part of their anticipated escalation against the caretaker government assuming the powers of the presidency.
The supporters have long adopted the slogan "We continue with you" to accompany the end of their leader's term. In recent hours, journalists from local and international media rushed to Baabda to cover the preparations for Aoun's departure, noting that large screens have been erected in the courtyards meant to welcome the supporters of the "General."
Aoun will leave his office at 11:30 AM today to bid farewell to senior officials, after which a battalion of the Republican Guard will salute him, and the army's band will play the national anthem and the honors music.
According to the announcement from the media office at Baabda Palace, after the official ceremonies, Aoun will move to a special platform before the citizens gathered to bid him farewell, where he will deliver a speech on the occasion before departing in the presidential car to his new residence in Rabieh. Various security agencies have reportedly taken extensive measures to ensure the safe transition of Aoun from the presidential palace to Rabieh, especially as to avoid any potential confrontations in the streets between Aoun's supporters and his opponents. Samir Geagea, the head of the "Lebanese Forces" party, announced that "the day of President Michel Aoun's term ending is a day of mourning, not celebration, given the current situation." He stated: "We have instructed all members of the Lebanese Forces not to participate in any protests."
For his part, Sami Gemayel, the head of the "Kataeb" party, expressed in a recent television interview that he wishes for his party members to refrain from disrespectful remarks and provocations on Sunday, in respect for the presidency and for President Michel Aoun himself. Meanwhile, Gibran Bassil, the head of the "Free Patriotic Movement," who toured several regions to observe preparations for Aoun's departure from the Baabda Palace, called for "the movement, supporters, friends, and admirers to meet us on Sunday to bid farewell to President Aoun with pride in Baabda and joy as we welcome him back to Rabieh." He added, "One told me that President Aoun exits Baabda to enter history; I said that General Michel Aoun entered history before entering Baabda Palace, for those who write history are those who make it."
On the final working day at Baabda Palace, Aoun signed five laws approved by the Parliament and referred them for publication according to the norms, the most notable of which is the law amending the banking secrecy law. He also received Vice President of the Government Saadeh Al-Shami, who updated him on the outcomes of his visit to Washington, where he led the Lebanese delegation to meetings at the World Bank, and the discussions that took place. The conversation also covered what has been achieved so far and what remains to be accomplished to implement the agreement with the International Monetary Fund. Additionally, Aoun received from Minister of Education Abbas Halabi and Professor Hayam Iskandar, head of the Educational Center for Research and Development, a copy of the National Framework Project for General Education before University, which will be studied and presented to the High Commission for Curricula for approval.
