Saudi Arabia endorses Nawaf Salam in Lebanese elections
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The announcement by Saudi Arabia comes after former Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his withdrawal from politics.
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Former Lebanese Ambassador Nawaf Salam
According to reports from Al Mayadeen on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia has decided to endorse the former Ambassador, Nawaf Salam, in the Lebanese elections. Salam is part of the Future Movement led by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri since 2005, succeeding his father, the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Salam is a former lawyer and diplomat who served as a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague after serving as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the UN between 2007 and December 2017.
The information obtained by Al Mayadeen confirmed that the Saudi decision will be communicated to all concerned in this circle close to Saudi Arabia, led by the Lebanese Dar Al-Fatwa, provided that Salam's candidacy is a prelude to similar steps in all areas of influence of the Future Movement.
It is noteworthy that on January 24, Saad Hariri announced the suspension of his work in political life, calling on members of the Future Movement to take the same step. He also called for not supporting any member of the current movement in this election.
Previously, Hariri informed President Michel Aoun of his apology for not participating, detailing that any discussion regarding the matter must take place after the elections, according to Hariri's media office.
France previously expressed that Hariri's decision should not affect the organizing of the upcoming elections.
On December 29, 2021, Lebanese President Michel Aoun signed a decree calling on the electoral authorities to elect members of Parliament on May 15, while the elections will be held on May 12 for employees participating in the electoral process. On the 6th and 8th of May, non-residents of Lebanon will vote.
In late October, Saudi Arabia summoned its Ambassador to Lebanon for consultations, while it requested the Ambassador of Lebanon to leave the Kingdom within 48 hours and decided to stop all Lebanese imports to the Kingdom.
The reason was statements made by the former Lebanese Minister of Information, George Kordahi, in which he described the Yemen war as "futile", adding that the "Yemeni Ansar Allah movement has been defending itself in the face of external aggression against Yemen for years." The statement provoked international and local reactions.
Saudi Arabia brazenly attempted to punish the Lebanese and published a statement saying that it "regrets the outcome of the relations with the Lebanese Republic due to the Lebanese authorities' ignoring of the facts and their continued failure to take corrective measures that ensure observance of the relations."
