Former Prime Minister Fouad Saniora pointed out that "we are on the brink of holding elections, and it is vital to respect the law and proceed with these elections to form a new parliament and restore authorities." In an interview with MTV, Saniora asserted that "President Saad Hariri did not call on the Lebanese to boycott and it is inappropriate to attribute statements to him that he did not make. This obligation must be met; voting is necessary because a boycott reduces the outcome, allowing outsiders to appropriate the opinions of the people of Beirut and the Lebanese, and preventing Hezbollah and its allies from replacing the sovereigns."
He stated that "the state is being held hostage by Hezbollah, and free decision-making no longer exists. The democratic political process in the country has been disrupted, and the Lebanese are paying the price, 'and what led to the accusations of treason against Saniora'." In response to Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, he said: "Lebanon requires Mr. Hassan to treat it differently; he knows that it was the state, with Arab assistance, that rebuilt the south."
He noted, "Elections will take place whether we like it or not, and the legitimacy of the elections is guaranteed by the constitution. A boycott leads to someone seizing the interests of the Lebanese for their own benefit." He added, "We are going through a difficult economic time, and economic recovery cannot occur as long as there is a duality in the authority's functioning and a lack of trust." He continued, "We are facing political corruption and those who have usurped the state's opinion; I have been summoned and appeared before the judiciary, and I am confident in what I have done. The state of law must be restored."
In response to a question, he said, "I will not nominate myself for the premiership, and the notion of a strong president is erroneous because a strong president should be strong for all Lebanese, not just one faction."
