Beirut - Marwa Shaheen - Beth:

Prime Minister Saad Hariri, head of the Future Movement and former Lebanese Prime Minister, announced today, Monday, from the Center House, his intention to officially leave the Lebanese political arena, and not to nominate himself or anyone else on behalf of the Future Movement in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

sudden return

Prime Minister Saad Hariri left Lebanon three months ago, after his apology for the formation of the Lebanese government. The attempt to form it and obtain the approval of the President of the Republic for it continued for nine months out of the lost time in Lebanon’s life, at a time when the country is experiencing the most severe political and economic crisis in its history. And after Prime Minister Hariri, who was in charge of forming the government at that time, reached a dead end with the Presidency of the Republic, he apologized for forming the government and left the country, only to return a few days ago, in a sudden return to the Lebanese in general, and to the members and leaders of the Future Movement who did not have the slightest An idea about the timing of Hariri's return.

After the sudden return, another surprise that struck the Lebanese scene was more severe:

The unannounced return of Prime Minister Hariri to Lebanon was not the only surprise that Hariri caused on the Lebanese scene. Immediately upon his return; The latter hastened to hold successive meetings with the heads of the Lebanese political forces, party leaders and officials, in addition to a special meeting with the leaders of the Future Movement, to consult on the issue of the upcoming parliamentary elections, and to determine the Future Movement’s position on participating in the elections or refraining from it.

The Future Movement opposes abstaining from elections:

After the meeting that Hariri held at his home, “which is known as the House of the Center,” with the leaders and members of the Future Movement, the opposition voices denouncing the president’s decision, especially from the Future Movement’s representatives, who were preparing for the upcoming electoral battle, and therefore Prime Minister Hariri’s decision means Their failure to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, and their loss of their political positions, as the Future Movement will not nominate anyone in its name, which means that the movement will not adopt their candidacy, and therefore their chances of running and winning the elections as independents or outside the umbrella of the Future Movement will be almost non-existent.

The reasons for Hariri's retirement from politics, he explains in a speech from the House of the Center:

This afternoon, Prime Minister Hariri delivered a speech from the Center House, in which he addressed the Lebanese in general, and explained the reasons for his reluctance from political life. Hariri said:

After the assassination of Martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the choice fell on me to continue his political project, to continue Rafic Hariri’s project, and not for the Hariri family to remain in politics, regardless of the project, principles and circumstances. Rafic Hariri’s project can be summed up in two ideas:

First: Preventing a civil war in Lebanon.

 Second: A better life for the Lebanese. I succeeded in the first, and I did not have enough success in the second. There is no doubt that preventing the civil war has imposed on me settlements, from containing the repercussions of May 7 to the Doha Agreement, to visiting Damascus, to electing Michel Aoun to the election law, and others. It was the reason for every step I took, as it was the reason for my loss of my personal wealth, some of my foreign friendships, many of my national alliances, some comrades and even brothers.”

It should be noted that the events of May 7, 2008, were the result of two decisions issued by the Lebanese Council of Ministers to confiscate the communications network of Hezbollah’s Signal Corps and to dismiss the commander of the Beirut International Airport Security Service, Brigadier General Wafiq Choucair, affiliated with Hezbollah, so the party launched its military forces to invade the capital, Beirut. .

Hariri continued: “These settlements, which came at my expense, may be the reason for the incomplete success in order to achieve a better life for the Lebanese. History will judge. But the main thing is that the goal was and always will be to overcome obstacles to reach Lebanon impregnable in the face of the civil war, and to provide a better life for all the Lebanese. As a result of my remaining in politics except to serve them, they now consider me one of the pillars of the authority that caused the disaster and prevented any new political representation that would produce solutions for our country and our people, as a matter of assuming responsibility, I was the only one who responded to the October 17, 2019 revolution, so I submitted the resignation of my government. And I was the only one who, after the August 4 disaster in Beirut, tried to change the way of working through a government of specialists. And the Lebanese know in both cases what the result was, and they incur the cost of denial from their live flesh.

As for the influence of Hezbollah and the hijacking of the Lebanese political and internal decision, Hariri said:

“As a matter of assuming responsibility as well, and because I am convinced that there is no room for any positive opportunity for Lebanon in light of Iranian influence, international confusion, national division, sectarianism, and the wear and tear of the state.

And he said; Declare the following:

First: suspending work in political life and inviting my family in the Future Movement to take the same step.

Second: Not to run for parliamentary elections and not to submit any nominations from the Future Movement or on behalf of the movement.

And he said; To my beloved sons and daughters of Rafic Hariri School:

We remain to serve our people, our people and our country, but our decision is to suspend any direct role or responsibility in the authority, the prosecution, and politics in its traditional sense.

Finally, the best speech at this moment may be what Rafik Hariri said in his statement of his reluctance 17 years ago: "God Almighty, I entrust this beloved country Lebanon and its good people... and I express from all my heart my thanks and gratitude to all those who cooperated with me during the last period." Peace, mercy and blessings of God.

Internal political forces denounce Hariri’s decision

Najib Mikati

On the level of the internal Lebanese forces, the current Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, declared the following:

“President Saad Hariri’s speech today is a sad page for the country and for me personally, but I understand the painful circumstances he is experiencing and the bitterness he feels.

Walid Jumblatt

Walid Jumblatt, the old historical ally of the Future Movement, wrote in a tweet on Twitter, “The homeland is orphaned today, and the chosen one is sad and lonely,” referring to the great void created by the Future Movement’s absence from the Lebanese political arena.

Walid Jumblatt said in his media statements:

“Hariri’s decision is very sad, and we lose a basis for independence and moderation, which means releasing the hand of Hezbollah and the Iranians in Lebanon.”

Peter Germanus

The Lebanese thinker and political analyst, Peter Germanos, commented on the topic, saying:

The fatal mistake made by the Christian parties was to boycott the 1992 elections. A mistake that rose to the rank of suicide. The battlefields have their knights, and today their names are Fouad Makhzoumi, Ashraf Rifi and Bahaa Hariri. The sea is behind you, poverty is in front of you, and the enemy is around you.”

Tony Franjieh

Marada Movement MP Tony Franjieh commented on Hariri’s reluctance to leave politics, saying:

“Saad Hariri and the Future Movement’s comment on his work in political life comes at a time when we need solidarity and concerted efforts and components, especially Hariri, who represents him, and what he conveys of moderation and openness.”

Silence of opponents

Hariri’s opponents, most notably the Free Patriotic Movement, Hezbollah and the Tashnaq Party of the Armenian minority, did not even comment on Hariri’s statements and decision, but there is no doubt that Saad Hariri’s opponents will see his retirement from politics as a victory to be reckoned with on the political and social level. .

Sunni street

The Sunni street is angry, and the demonstrators are blocking the roads to protest against Hariri’s decision.

On the level of the Lebanese street, especially the Sunnis, Saad Hariri’s supporters gathered in the capital, Beirut, to attend his speech in the House of the Center.

The Sunni street must be living today in a state of confusion and loss as a result of the absence of the largest Sunni parties in Lebanon and the largest representative of the year in the government and parliament, especially since there are no organized and strong Sunni parties that can unite the votes of the Sunni community in the upcoming elections, which will allow The opportunity for non-Sunni parties to exploit and fill the void left by the absence of the Future Movement from the upcoming elections.

Silk and the future

It is worth noting that the Future Movement was founded by former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 1995, and after his assassination in 2005, his son, MP Saad Eddin Hariri, took over its leadership, the largest representative of the Sunni community in Lebanon, according to what was imposed by the system of consensual democracy and sectarian quotas resulting from the constitution. Post-civil war or what is known as the Taif Agreement.

Since its establishment, the Future Movement has played an important role in the Lebanese political life. The Lebanese prime ministership has been in most cases since 1995 until today, until Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced the suspension of the political work of the Future Movement for an indefinite period.