Saad Hariri, to be reappointed?
Photo: AP
Report: Hariri to be reappointed Lebanese PM-designate
Political sources in Lebanon believe President Suleiman to re-task head of anti-Syrian camp with forming government, less than 24-hours after latter resigns due to failure to form unity government
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman is expected to task head of the country's anti-Syrian camp, Saad Hariri to take a second stab at forming a government, Lebanese daily al-Akhbar reported on Friday.
The report came less than 24-hours after Hariri informed the president that he was resigning from his post as prime minister-designate, after failing to form a unity government after 73 days of fruitless coalition talks.
According to the report, there is broad consensus among various political bodies in the country that Hariri should be reappointed to the task.
It is believe that Suleiman will start consultations with the various political parties on Sunday, in an attempt to decide on a candidate to be tasked with forming the new government.
Political sources have estimated that 86 parliament members will re-recommend Hariri, as they did in the first round of consultations.
Nabih Berri, head of the Shiite Amal movement and speaker of the Lebanese parliament has announced that he plans to insist on Hariri's reappointment.
Berri said on Thursday that he had agreed with President Suleiman and Lebanon's Druze leader Walid Jumblatt that any new government to be formed must be a unity government and that "there will be no return to the starting point".
Berri added that he would not agree to any government makeup different from what has already been agreed upon: A 30-minister government, made up of 15 ministers from Hariri's camp, 10 from the opposition, lead by Hezbollah, and five from President Suleiman's camp.
Earlier this week Hariri presented Suleiman with his proposed government, which he said "will express the balance in the country and honor the results of the parliamentary elections".
The composition of his proposed government was in accordance with the above criteria, but unresolved disputes between the camps led to his government being rejected.
