Saad Hariri - Prime Minister of Lebanon: biography, personal life

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Saad Hariri is the Lebanese Prime Minister, billionaire and revolutionary, who once earned himself political points by fighting Syrian influence in his country. He became the successor to the work of his father, Rafik Hariri, who was killed under mysterious circumstances that do not exclude the involvement of the Lebanese and Syrian special services.

From foreman to president

Saad Ad Din Rafik Al Hariri was born in 1970 far from his homeland - in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, where his father's main business assets were based. Saad became the second son in the family of Rafik Hariri and Nidal al Bustani, a native of Iraq.

The heir to a business empire received an education corresponding to his status, studying at Georgetown University, where he diligently studied business management. Returning to sunny Arabia in 1992, Saad Hariri began working for Saudi Oger, a construction company founded by his father.

The stern Lebanese patriarch quite reasonably reasoned that his son should start his career withthe lowest levels, and the first years Saad worked as a simple superintendent, oversaw relations with subcontractors.

Hariri Jr. passed the test of solvency flawlessly, and in 1996, a pleased father appointed him CEO of Saudi Oger, which still remains one of the largest contractors in the Arab East with an annual turnover of two billion dollars and a staff of several dozen thousands of people. The founder of the business empire himself decided to try his hand at politics.

Successor of father's work

The young and ambitious heir zealously set about developing the Saudi Oger. According to him, he had to break a lot of conservative and outdated norms and rules that have developed in the company. Saad Hariri was not afraid to make alliances with other corporations, began to invest in new economic areas, and expanded the geographic boundaries of Saudi Oger's influence. As a result, large telecommunications companies with influence throughout the Middle East became subsidiaries of the original corporation.

However, soon the resident of Saudi Arabia had to return to his roots and remember the existence of Lebanon on the world map. The reason for this was the death of his father, Rafik Hariri, who stirred up Lebanese society.

At a family council of a large family, it was decided that it was Saad Hariri, the youngest son of the murdered politician, who would raise the political banner of his father, after Baha'a refused to contact the authorities. However, there was an alternative version, according to which Saad was chosen due to hischarisma and better communication skills.

"Cedar" revolution

So, after being blessed by the family council, Saad Hariri first creates his own movement - the "Movement for the Future". At first, the novice tribune did not try to impress the audience with originality, relying solely on the authority of the murdered father, promising to continue his work.

The murder of an influential politician caused a strong public outcry. A special UN commission was organized to investigate the circumstances of the death of Rafik Hariri. The result of the work of the international brigade was the arrest of several influential officials of the Lebanese special services. In addition, a serious suspicion of organizing the crime fell on Syria.

However, even before the start of the commission's work, society had already laid the blame on the Syrian intelligence services and their Lebanese accomplices in power. The results of the investigation only fueled the degree of discontent, and the people came out to mass demonstrations. The main demands of the people were the withdrawal of Syrian troops and the resignation of President Emile Lahoud, a protege of the same Syria.

Elections

An explosion of public discontent, called the "Cedar Revolution", led to the forced withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and a reset in power. Saad Hariri, as one of the winners, began to prepare for the 2005 parliamentary elections. For the first time in many years, elections were not held under Syrian influence.

Among other Arab states, Lebanon on the world map is distinguished by a very peculiar, complex electoral system based on confessional diversity. Republic.

Each of the religious communities - Shiites, Sunnis, Christians, nominates a certain number of candidates to the parliament, in connection with which the importance of various kinds of blocs and alliances increases.

Saad Hariri's most important ally was Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Druze progressive socialist party. Thanks to joint efforts, the Hariri Martyrs coalition won the majority of seats in parliament, but a large share went to the pro-Syrian Hezbollah.

Influence of external forces

Despite his victory in parliamentary elections, Saad Hariri did not achieve a constitutional majority of two-thirds of deputies, which would allow his supporters to choose a convenient president. The current head of state, Lahoud, blocked the candidacy of a Lebanese billionaire as chairman of the cabinet, as a result of which he had to agree to a compromise figure in the person of Fuad Sinior.

The first years after the revolution were a turbulent time. Regular rocket attacks by the military wing of Hezbollah on Israeli territory provoked an invasion of Israeli troops into Lebanese territory. The leaders of the Arab Republic rallied in difficult times, forgetting their differences, and began to unanimously demand an end to the military operation in Tel Aviv.

The Israelis found themselves in a paradoxical situation. Easily gaining military victories, they were forced to submit to the demands of the world community and leave Lebanon, having suffered a crushing politicaldefeat.

Government Crisis

The new alignment was correctly understood by the leaders of Hezbollah, whose popularity jumped up. The radicals demanded more power from Hariri, to which the indignant politician refused. A massive government crisis erupted and President Lahoud resigned and left the country.

Beirut was rocked again by demonstrations, this time by Shia supporters demanding more power. Saad Hariri had no choice but to start negotiations, as a result of which a compromise president was elected in the person of Michel Suleiman and a coalition government was formed. Moreover, the opposition Shiites of Hezbollah had the right to veto any decision of the Prime Minister.

Head of Government

In 2009, Saad Hariri again won the parliamentary elections in Lebanon, becoming the main candidate for the post of head of the cabinet of ministers. Complicated and lengthy negotiations began with Hezbollah, after which President Michel Suleiman appoints Saad as Prime Minister of Lebanon and instructs him to form a government. This was only possible on the second attempt, after which Hariri became the head of the coalition cabinet of ministers.

It was extremely difficult for a pro-Western Lebanese politician to work on the same team with pro-Iranian and pro-Syrian representatives of the radical Hezbollah, whose fighters were well-armed and represented a force equal to the Lebanese army itself.

However, Saad Hariri successfully completed two years, after which a new government crisis broke out. Representatives of Hezbollah amicably left the government, accusing Saad of being unable to take action, after which a new coalition government headed by Najib Muqatti was formed.

Back in power

In 2012, Saad Hariri was accused by Syria of supplying the Syrian opposition with weapons, as a result of which a warrant was issued for the arrest of the politician. Outraged Saad did not remain in debt, calling Bashar al-Assad a monster.