Melhem Bustani Announces Candidacy for the Presidency

Melhem Jamil Bustani held a press conference at the Commodore Hotel in Hamra, where he announced his candidacy for the presidency. He stated that "those in power have divided the people, impoverished them, and displaced them, instilling despair to make them surrender to their will. However, the Lebanese, who has succeeded in all corners of the world and in all fields, is capable of rebuilding what has been destroyed and restoring Lebanon as a beacon for the East and the West." He added, "The Lebanese Constitution states in its preamble that Lebanon is a democratic parliamentary republic, founded on respect for public freedoms, foremost among which are freedom of opinion and belief, as well as social justice and equality in rights and duties among all citizens without discrimination or preference. The customs have contradicted the Constitution, and positions have been distributed according to sects and denominations, leading to quotas, corruption, and the devastation of the country."