Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the 19th commemoration of the assassination of his father, Rafik, on Feb. 14, 2024, in downtown Beirut. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
"Wait for me on Friday." Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri's return to Beirut for the 20th commemoration of the assassination of his father, Rafik Hariri, seems different this year. It's likely that during his address on Feb. 14, Hariri will pave the way for his return to the political scene, after more than three years of withdrawal and exile in the United Arab Emirates. With still significant popularity — especially within the Sunni community where he remains the main leader — and ahead of the 2026 legislative elections, the former head of government hopes to revive the political line to which he is the heir. Especially since the regional and local context is favorable to the return of "political Harirism," born in the early 1990s on the ruins of a Lebanon ravaged by war. But what exactly is it? Read more Hariri announces Future...
"Wait for me on Friday." Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri's return to Beirut for the 20th commemoration of the assassination of his father, Rafik Hariri, seems different this year. It's likely that during his address on Feb. 14, Hariri will pave the way for his return to the political scene, after more than three years of withdrawal and exile in the United Arab Emirates. With still significant popularity — especially within the Sunni community where he remains the main leader — and ahead of the 2026 legislative elections, the former head of government hopes to revive the political line to which he is the heir. Especially since the regional and local context is favorable to the return of "political Harirism," born in the early 1990s on the ruins of a Lebanon ravaged by war. But what exactly is it? Read more Hariri announces...