Why isn”t Saad Hariri prime minister?

Positive that Hariri”s spirit is still present through his policies and family, all political arenas were sure that Saad, son of Rafiq Hariri would be selected as governor of Lebanon when election results appear. The shock-surprise for everyone was that Fouad Siniora was elected as the prime minister and ever since, the same question is asked by everybody: whatever happened to Saad Hariri who lead the ”Al Mustaqbal” (Future) movement in Lebanon and won the elections? Did he back off? Did he not gain enough support? Or is it only a transitional period?

Head of the victorious group, Hariri junior is the one who decided to support Fouad Siniora, a man who is known to have acquired Rafiq Hariri”s trust for his affirmed stances.

As for the why Saad Hariri was not elected as prime minister despite his overwhelming victory in the elections, it makes us recall a time when his father didn’t accept the same post. Until he was firmly experienced and attained more familiarity with the nature of this post, he refused the position. As prime minister, he went on to achieve historical political projects such as the Taif accords.

The current political situation is neither straightforward nor secure and may reflect the political climate experienced during the period of Hariri”s assassination. If these political implications mean anything, it is not that Hariri”s family is incompetent or unprofessional but rather, people”s trust in them has overwhelmed both senior and junior figures of this family. The mere evidence is that Saad won the elections overwhelmingly from which they have won the majority of seats in parliament that will allow them to change the political state of affairs if they wish to. Regardless of the public support that maybe needed for future struggles, managing political conflicts outside parliament is another matter, that a parliament majority may not be sufficient in dealing with.

The election results have changed history and will change the future. It has transformed the situation and distorted destructive plans. Late Hariri was ousted from the government through political difficulty, and was physically exterminated so as never to reappear in government again. Today, however he is back through his son and by the people”s votes. Concerning his family, it is no secret that late Rafiq Hariri had never introduced any of his sons to governmental posts. He never appointed any of them during his years of service and only his sister Bahyia, was appointed via direct election and not through formal appointment. He wanted to keep them away from the risks of political life that ultimately took away his life. Perhaps he did not want them to experience the sin of political succession with its benefits for which they would have been attacked had they succeeded their father.

However, the young Saad Hariri was not appointed by his father but was selected by his people as expected due to the crime committed against his father and as support to Hariri project.

If there was any real project taking place in Lebanon it was that initiated by Rafiq Hariri. The late prime minister has changed Lebanon”s status, altered the Lebanese view of themselves and the world”s analysis of Lebanon too.

Lebanon was spiritually and physically distorted and money was not the only encouraging factor that helped the Lebanese rehabilitate. Rich Lebanese businessmen are widespread all over the world, but only a few choose to risk their businesses in an attempt to save what remains of their country. El Hariri”s project has installed confidence back into Lebanon and this has been more than enough. This was the encouraging push that the Lebanese people needed in order to move on with their lives.