Husseini Drops Out of Race, Calls for Civil System of Governance
Former Speaker Hussein al-Husseini on Wednesday dropped out of the elections race in the district of Baalbeck-Hermel, saying he did not have a "sectarian" project for the future of Lebanon.
"We have our own vision and therefore our own agenda and others have their own," Husseini said at a press conference.
"Our agenda is not based on the monopolization or the forging of representation. It is not founded on the idea of replacing the community and the homeland with one individual or a single party," he added.
"Mine is not a sectarian vision. It is one of civil (state-building)," he said.
Husseini voiced "pride for being a founding member of the armed and civil resistance. (A type of resistance) in which one”s self does not fall under the control of arms rather … the state would have top authority" over weapons.
"I tried. This is not a matter of one person or one party. It is a matter of the people right for life," he said addressing supporters across Lebanon.
"I promise you, rather, I ask of you – that today before tomorrow – to partake in the building of a civil state under which you are equal, free, with the Lebanese republic as our homeland. We are the people and we are the source of the authorities," he said, concluding his press conference.