Saad Hariri, the leader of Lebanon's Future Movement, announced his support for Michel Aoun's presidency. Aoun, a Christian, is known for his alliance with Hezbollah and closeness to Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria, while Hariri is famous for his opposition to Hezbollah. On Thursday, October 21, Hariri stated in a televised speech that his decision to support Aoun's presidency was made with the aim of 'protecting Lebanon, its government, its people, and its political system.' The Lebanese presidency has been vacant for the past 30 months due to a political crisis and serious disagreements among the country's major groups. Some news and media circles in Lebanon suggest that Hariri's agreement, as a staunch opponent of Hezbollah, to support the presidency of a Hezbollah ally stems from behind-the-scenes agreements between him and Aoun. According to these reports, Aoun has committed to reappointing Saad Hariri as Prime Minister of Lebanon if he becomes president. However, the Associated Press reported that Hariri's support for Aoun's presidency has angered many Lebanese who oppose Hezbollah and the Syrian government. Several members of the Future Movement faction in the Lebanese parliament have also announced that despite their leader's support for Aoun, they will not vote for him. Saad Hariri is the son of Rafik Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, who was assassinated in 2005 in a bombing in Beirut, with fingers pointing towards the Syrian government and Hezbollah for the assassination. The Lebanese parliament has 128 members, and the Future Movement led by Saad Hariri holds a relative majority in it.
Saad Hariri Supports Michel Aoun's Presidency in Lebanon
Saad Hariri has publicly supported Michel Aoun's presidency in Lebanon, despite Aoun's ties to Hezbollah, aiming to protect the political system of Lebanon. This decision has sparked controversy and backlash from Hariri's supporters and opponents of Hezbollah. The political landscape in Lebanon remains tense as the presidency has been vacant for over two years.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Saad Hariri announced his support for Michel Aoun's presidency in Lebanon, despite Aoun's ties to Hezbollah. This decision has sparked controversy among Hariri's supporters and opponents of Hezbollah.
- The Lebanese presidency has been vacant for 30 months due to political disagreements.
- Hariri's support may be linked to a potential agreement for him to be reappointed as Prime Minister if Aoun becomes president.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Lebanon has faced a political vacuum and instability due to sectarian divisions and the influence of external actors like Iran and Syria.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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