Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday announced he was leaving politics for now and would not run in upcoming parliamentary elections.
The decision marks the first time in three decades the powerful Sunni family is out of politics, adding uncertainty in a country grappling with a financial meltdown.
Hariri’s decision had been anticipated but was still a bombshell for many Lebanese as the family has dominated politics in the small country for decades.
His exit leaves the Sunni community with no obvious leader for the time being, amid speculation that the abstention of the moderate Hariri could result in hard-line Sunni politicians playing a bigger role in Lebanese politics.
Hariri, a three-time prime minister and current member of parliament, inherited the political leadership from his late father, billionaire businessman Rafik Hariri, who was one of Lebanon’s most powerful and influential politicians after the end of the 1975-90 civil war.
The late Hariri was assassinated in February 2005 in a massive truck bombing in Beirut. Afterward, the family chose Saad Hariri to lead despite the fact that he has an older brother.
Hariri, who was traditionally in the camp opposing Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah, has largely co-existed with the group, forming coalition governments that included Hezbollah.
That cost him support from Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, the rival of Iran, over influence and clout in the region.
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