Beirut: Former Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri announced on Monday that he would not run in the upcoming parliamentary elections and was withdrawing from political life.
The 51-year-old three-time prime minister, who was brought into politics by the 2005 assassination of his father Rafik, announced his decision during a news conference in the capital, Beirut. Saad Hariri said he was "suspending his work in political life" and urged fellow members of his Future Party to leave the political arena.
A tearful Hariri, who was first elected to parliament in 2005, also announced that he would not participate in the May legislative elections, citing "Iranian influence and international turmoil". Lebanon is grappling with an economic crisis that has caused 90 percent of its value to be lost in the black market.
According to the United Nations, food prices have quadrupled and nearly 80 percent of the population is now living below the poverty line. Potential donors have repeatedly stated that any resumption of aid is dependent on the establishment of a viable government committed to eliminating corruption. Hariri has been the most powerful Sunni Muslim politician in Lebanon since 2005. He held the position of Prime Minister three times until he was no more. He was forced to resign in October 2019 following massive protests against the country's ruling class after the government imposed a $6 monthly fee for using WhatsApp voice calls.
In 2017 when he was prime minister, Riyadh in a televised statement cited Hezbollah dominance, forcing him to announce his resignation during a state visit. The dramatic move backfired: Hariri returned home and restored his alliance with Hezbollah, losing Saudi support.
Hariri's decision comes despite the fact that several prominent politicians, including parliament speaker Nabih Beri and Druze leader Walid Joumblat, tried to persuade him to change his design. Many in Lebanon fear that radical Sunni politicians may play a bigger role in Lebanese politics by abstaining from the moderate Hariri's run.