Saad al-Hariri won the support of a majority of parliamentarians in consultation with Michel Aoun (File)
Beirut:
Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Thursday appointed Sunni Muslim politician Saad al-Hariri as prime minister to form a new government to tackle the worst crisis since the country’s 1975-1990 civil war.
Hariri won the support of a majority of parliamentarians in consultations with Aoun. He faces major challenges in navigating Lebanon’s power-sharing politics and agreeing on a cabinet, which must then tackle a growing list of issues: a banking crisis, a currency crash, growing poverty and crippling state debts.
A new government will also have to deal with a surge of COVID-19 and the fallout from the massive August explosion at the port of Beirut that killed nearly 200 people and caused billions of dollars in damage.
The last coalition government of Sunni leader Hariri was toppled almost exactly a year ago as protests gripped the country, furious against Lebanon’s ruling elite.
Thursday’s appointment follows weeks of political wrangling that delayed a deal on a new government.
Hariri was supported by his own future lawmakers, the Shiite Amal party, the party of Druze politician Walid Joumblatt and other small blocs.
Shia group Hezbollah said it was not naming anyone, but added it would seek to facilitate the process.
“We will help maintain a positive climate,” Mohammed Raad, head of his parliamentary bloc, told reporters at the presidential palace.
The FPM led by Aoun’s son-in-law, which has the largest Christian bloc, said it would not appoint Hariri.
The second major Christian party and a staunch Hezbollah opponent, the Lebanese Forces, also declined to name Hariri, saying a seasoned politician should not head a planned specialist cabinet.
“Did this political class which took people hostage learn that it could not continue like this?” Said deputy Georges Adwan. “He is now facing a test.”
The former colonial power, France, tried to rally Lebanon’s sectarian leaders to pull the nation out of the crisis, but was frustrated by the apparent lack of urgency or progress.
Hariri presented himself as the “natural candidate” to build a cabinet capable of relaunching the French roadmap, which sets out the reforms necessary to trigger foreign aid. He also said that Lebanon must agree on an IMF reform program to escape the crisis.
Thursday’s consultations were postponed from last week amid political divisions. Aoun is bound to choose the candidate with the most support from lawmakers. Iran-backed Hezbollah and its political allies – including the party founded by Aoun and Shiite Amal – have a majority in parliament.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
