Former Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri announced Monday he would not run in upcoming parliamentary elections and was withdrawing from political life, urging fellow members of his Future party to leave the political arena.

Hariri announced his decision during a press conference in the capital Beirut where he announced he will not run in the upcoming parliamentary elections and not supporting any member of his party in the elections.

ثانيا: عدم الترشح للانتخابات النيابية وعدم التقدم بأي ترشيحات من تيار المستقبل أو باسم التيار. لأحبتي ابناء وبنات مدرسة #رفيق_الحريري: نحن باقون بخدمة اهلنا وشعبنا ووطننا، لكن قرارنا هو تعليق اي دور أو مسؤولية مباشرة في السلطة والنيابة والسياسة بمعناها التقليدي.

— Saad Hariri (@saadhariri) January 24, 2022

Hariri said, "Preventing the civil war imposed on me settlements that came to my detriment."

A day before Hariri's announcement, the latter met Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss the latest developments. The meeting was preceded by rallies supporting Hariri near his headquarters in the capital, Beirut.

In the same context, an official source in the Future Movement told Al Mayadeen earlier that former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri will not run for the parliamentary elections scheduled for next May.

On December 29, Lebanese President Michel Aoun signed a decree calling for the election of the members of Parliament on May 15 for residents, while the elections will be held on May 12 for employees participating in the electoral process, and on May 6 and 8 for Lebanese non-residents.