Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Thursday his support for head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun as presidential candidate, deeming his decision “a political settlement, with the true sense of the word.”
“While it may be a risky political move, I am willing to risk my political future and my popularity for the sake of the Lebanese,” he said in a speech delivered from Beit al-Wasat in the presence of members of the Future parliamentary bloc and political and media figures.
Hariri pointed out that MP Sleiman Frangieh will remain their friend, noting that the Future Movement reached common grounds with Aoun during talks, which are represented by the respect for the state, the law and the need to restore the work of the public institutions.
"This decision comes from the need to protect Lebanon and the state and the people ... but it is a decision that depends on agreement," he said, describing Aoun as "the only option left".
“If I all wanted wealth, I would have not entered the political life where I spend all that I have inherited in order to defend my country,” he stated.
For his part, Aoun expressed gratitude to Hariri for supporting his nomination for the presidency, stressing that the National Pact does not only concern the Christians, but represents a pact between the Muslims and Christians to coexist equally with rights and obligations.
Following his meeting with Hariri in Beit al-Wasat, Aoun stressed that there are no bilateral or quadrilateral pacts, but only one agreement to manage the state’s affairs.