Experts say Saad Hariri’s decision not to take part in the upcoming Lebanese election created a ‘political void’ for the Sunni community.
Beirut, Lebanon – In the lead up to previous Lebanese elections in recent memory, Sunni-majority districts around the country were filled with banners and billboards expressing support for the Future Movement leader Saad Hariri, a former prime minister and popular Sunni politician. But less than two weeks before Lebanese head to the polls to elect new members of parliament, the walls of many Sunni neighbourhoods are plastered with posters calling for a boycott of the vote.
The reason? Hariri announced in January he would step down from politics and that his party would not take part in the May 15 election, which comes amid a crippling economic crisis.
The decision has left some of his supporters unsure of how to vote.
“I’m not boycotting the election, but none of the other candidates truly convince me,” said Abou Ahmed, a 61-year-old who owns a grocery store in Tripoli. “Actually, with everything going on in Lebanon, I think the upcoming elections are a farce anyway. ”Hariri, whose wealthy family has dominated the Sunni Muslim political landscape in Lebanon for more than three decades, had cited “Iranian influence, our indecisiveness with the international community, internal divisions and sectarian divisions” for his decision to suspend his political career.
Following the announcement, Sunni politicians mobilised across Lebanon’s Sunni-majority districts, especially in the capital, Beirut, in an attempt to fill the political vacuum caused by Hariri’s move. Billionaire businessman and MP Fouad Makhzoumi’s billboards clutter the city’s crowded streets. Grassroots political groups such as Beirut Tuqawwem (Beirut Resists) have held outreach events, Source: aljazera
Monday, May 4, 2026
