Member of Parliament Fouad Makhzoumi has announced his withdrawal from the race for Lebanon’s premiership, emphasizing the need for unity among opposition forces to bring about meaningful change in the country’s governance.  

In a statement shared on his official account on the social media platform X, Makhzoumi expressed gratitude for the support he received from opposition MPs and several independent lawmakers.  

“I am honored by the support of opposition MPs and several independent MPs for my candidacy to assume the responsibility of the premiership, in partnership with His Excellency the President of the Republic, to take on the responsibility of rescuing Lebanon during this critical juncture in its history,” he stated.  

Highlighting the importance of this pivotal moment, Makhzoumi described himself as “the strongest candidate to challenge the system’s nominee.” However, he stressed that having multiple opposition candidates would inevitably weaken the overall chances of success.  

“Based on my conviction that having more than one opposition candidate will inevitably lead to collective loss, and my belief that Lebanon needs a fundamental change in governance—a government aligned with the sovereign and reformist aspirations of the new era, and one that contributes to implementing the inaugural speech, which requires the broadest possible coalition of alignment—I announce the withdrawal of my bid for the premiership,” he said.  

Makhzoumi declared his full support for Judge Nawaf Salam as the consensus candidate for those advocating reform.  

“I withdraw to pave the way for consensus among those who believe in the necessity of change around the candidacy of Judge Nawaf Salam,” he affirmed.