(Adnkronos) – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun began consultations this morning to appoint a new prime minister and the subsequent formation of a new government. Among the favorites are the acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the anti-Hezbollah judge Nawaf Salam, president of the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Aoun began the consultations by meeting with Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Abu Saab, the Lebanese news agency Nna reported.
On Saturday opposition MPs had expressed their support for anti-Hezbollah MP Fouad Makhzoumi, a wealthy businessman with good relations with the Gulf countries and Washington. His candidacy was however withdrawn today to “make room for consensus among all those who believe in the need for a change around the name of judge Nawaf Salam”. Mikati is instead supported by Hezbollah and the Amal movement of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. On Thursday, on the sidelines of the presidential elections, Mikati said he was ready to serve the country “if necessary”.
Late last night, the latest attempts to unite the opposition and independent positions, with the aim of tightening around Salam and blocking Mikati’s path to the post of prime minister. Hezbollah’s opponents see Mikati as part of an old political system. After Aoun promised a “new phase” for Lebanon in his inaugural address, anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said “like it or not, Mikati belonged to the previous group”.
According to the Lebanese constitution, the president appoints the prime minister in consultation with the speaker of parliament, choosing the candidate who received the most votes during the consultations. The appointment of a prime minister does not guarantee the imminent formation of a new government. In the past, the process took weeks or even months due to deep political divisions and bargaining.
