Beirut – Lebanon’s newly designated prime minister said on Friday (20) that he plans to form a government of experts and independents to deal with the country’s economic crisis. Lebanese president Michael Aoun asked Diab to form a new government last Thursday (19), Saudi Arabia newspaper Arab News reported.
According to the newspaper, Diab is a university professor and former Education minister. He won a majority of lawmakers’ votes after receiving backing from the powerful Shiite group Hezbollah and its allies. Arab News stresses, however, that despite being a Sunni himself, he lacks the support of major Sunni figures, including the largest Sunni party headed by his predecessor Hariri, who’s leaving office.
The Lebanese government is divided into the country’s three main religious groups: president is always a Christian, PM a Sunni and the speaker of the Parliament a Shiite.
Diab, however, emerged from a meeting with Hariri saying the atmosphere was “positive.” “As an expert and an independent, my inclination is to form a government that is truly made up of experts and independents,” he was quoted as saying in Arab News.
In addition to the economic crisis, Lebanon has faced a wave of popular protest since October and uncertainty on the formation of a new government. Scuffles broke out this Friday between Hariri’s supporters protesting in Beirut and the army. “I ask them (protesters) to give us a chance to form an exceptional government,” Hassan Diab said.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
