Aridi, together with three other cabinet ministers, namely then economy minister Marwan Hamadeh, environment minister Farès Boueiz and refugee affairs minister Abdullah Farhat, resigned from office on 7 September in protest of constitutional amendment that extended the term of then president Emile Lahoud.[11][12] They were among the members of the Lebanese parliament, who voted against the extension of Lahoud's term.[13] Then state minister Karam Karam replaced Aridi as acting culture minister.[14] In the general elections of 2005, Aridi ran for office on Jumblatt's list[15] and won a seat from the third district of Beirut.[16]