Steven Sahiounie, lournalist and political commentator
On February 14, Saad Hariri addressed a crowd of tens of thousands gathered at the Beirut gravesite of his father, Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated exactly 21-years earlier.
Saad Hariri announced the return of the Future Movement (Tayyar al-Mustaqbal) in the upcoming parliamentary elections in May, after disbanding the party four-years ago. However, he did not specify if he will run for office.
Hariri, a former MP and Prime Minister, has been living abroad since bowing out of the political scene in 2022, which left the Sunni community fractured in parliament, where seats are divided according to a sectarian quota system.
Lebanon’s population is divided into three nearly equal groups: Sunni, Shia, and Christian. Hezbollah, a Shia armed group, is currently under pressure domestically and from foreign powers to disarm, in favor of the Lebanese Army becoming the only legally armed group.
Prime Minister Rafic Hariri died in Beirut on February 14, 2005 after a massive explosion targeted his motorcade. Analysts of the Middle East say it is impossible to overstate the effect his death had on the region. The bomb was like a political earthquake which shook the Middle East and set into motion a chain of events which have reshaped the Levant.
At first glance those watching the breaking news of the huge blast which took Harari’s life and many others, felt whoever was responsible for the attack was trying to destroy Syria.
Analysts first pointed to Israel as the chief beneficiary of the attack which would bring about the withdrawal of Syrian occupation troops on April 26, 2005, ending a 29-year occupation.
However, investigations have pointed to ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as the culprit. Experts cite the December 2003 meeting between Rafik Hariri and Assad as the beginning of the end of Hariri.
“The class of failure that has inherited power over the past two decades has succeeded in turning Lebanon into a hostage and plunging its people into a deep abyss of bankruptcy, dependency and systematic corruption. This ruling class, riddled with reliance on weapons and the looting of public funds, has not only destroyed the country’s foundations but has sought to break people’s will and dismantle Lebanon’s pioneering role in its environment and in the world,” wrote Bahaa Hariri, the older brother of Saad Hariri, on X.
He added that “Rafik Hariri’s project has suffered a second assassination: by justifying illegal weapons, normalizing collapse and covering up corruption under the labels of national unity and wisdom.”
Bahaa Hariri was referencing the social, political and economic crisis affecting Lebanon which was exposed in the October 2019 riots, called the “October Revolution”.
The crisis, from which Lebanon is currently trying to recover from, was brought about by decades of the wealthy ruling elite and their disdain for the Lebanese people. Rich and powerful people felt they were above the law and could get away with crimes such as abuse of power and theft of public funds.
Early Political Rise After Assassination
Saad Hariri was propelled onto the center stage of Lebanese politics following his father’s death.
Hariri formed the March 14 Alliance alongside Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, and Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces. Hariri was elected as a Member of Parliament in the 2005 elections for Beirut’s First District—the same seat previously held by his father—and secured the largest parliamentary bloc in that cycle. He was re-elected in 2009, when the March 14 coalition again won a parliamentary majority.
The alliance accused the Syrian government and its Lebanese allies, known as the March 8 Forces, of involvement in Rafic Hariri’s assassination. The coalition organized a series of large-scale demonstrations known as the “Cedar Revolution,” demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the establishment of an international tribunal to prosecute those responsible for the assassination.
Hariri has been affiliated with international business organizations and Saudi financial institutions and owns Future Television, a Lebanese media outlet aligned with his political movement.
Future TV
After 26 years on air, the Future TV station officially suspended operations in September 2019 due to severe financial difficulties.
In October 2024, it was announced that Future TV's website and social media platforms (Facebook, X) would resume operations to cover major events in Lebanon.
While the TV channel previously relied on broadcasting reruns after its 2019 shutdown, the 2024 move aimed to revive the brand digitally.
The station is owned by the family of Saad Hariri, representing the Future Movement. Now that Hariri has announced his party’s participation in the upcoming election, this digital media outlet will be used to garner support among its audience.
Lebanon at a Crossroads
Lebanon faces mounting regional and domestic pressures. Observers cite US pressure on Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, alongside ongoing violence in southern Lebanon carried out by Israel.
Against this backdrop, Saad Hariri’s potential return carries significant political weight. His supporters argue that no figure has successfully filled the vacuum left by his departure in 2022. Regional actors and numerous Sunni politicians have attempted to reshape leadership within the Sunni community, but the Future Movement’s suspension left a noticeable gap.
Whether Saad Hariri re-enters Lebanon’s political arena will not only influence the country’s internal balance but may also signal broader shifts in regional alignments. Lebanon and the world watch closely, aware that the Hariri legacy continues to shape its political trajectory more than two decades after that pivotal day in Beirut.
Steven Sahiounie is a two-time award-winning journalist.