Lebanese President Michel Aoun issued a decree appointing Sunni politician Najib Mikati as Prime Minister and tasked him with forming the Republic's new government. This was announced to journalists on Thursday by Antoine Shoukair, Director of the Presidential Office, following the Head of state's consultations with parliamentary factions.
"President Aoun summoned Najib Mikati to Baabda Palace and tasked him to form the new cabinet." he said. According to Shukair, the candidature of 66-year-old Mikati, who is now acting head of government, received the support of 54 out of 128 members of the legislature.
Another prime ministerial contender, 68-year-old diplomat Nawaf Salam, collected 25 votes. 48 deputies refused to support or nominate any figure to head the government. One lawmaker nominated former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to head the cabinet.
A source in Baabda Palace told TASS correspondent that most Sunni deputies, two Shiite factions, the Christian Al-Marada party and representatives of the Armenian Dashnaktsutyun party voted for Mikati.
"Salam, who served as Lebanon's Permanent Representative to the UN from 2007 to 2017, was supported by the centrist Progressive Socialist Party and a group of independent deputies," the source said.
Deputies from two Christian blocks, the Free Patriotic Movement and the opposition Lebanese Forces party, refused to support or nominate any figure to head the government.
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Photo: WAEL HAMZEH/EPA/TASS
Based on materials from TASS