Head of the Future bloc in Parliament MP Saad Rafic Hariri signed a petition urging President Emile Lahoud to step down, and called on all the Lebanese to support the campaign. At a meeting with youths and students associations representing March 14 factions, MP Hariri made clear that the President must either step down or resign to allow the country to move forward.
MP Hariri said Lebanon needs a complete change, which the President has been blocking, by scuttling the Paris II international donors conference and the current agenda of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. He stressed that the head of state should not be allowed to block the Beirut I international donors conference.
After signing the petition, head of the Future bloc stressed the Lebanese are convinced that the country can no longer be managed in the manner that President Lahoud aspires, and that he should resign to “deepen the partnership,” and cement the 1990 Taif Agreement, which ended the 1975-1990 war.
The Presidency is a very significant position, MP Hariri added, and pointed out that candidates for the seat will have to sign the petition, to tell the entire world that the Lebanese do not want the current head of state.