Lebanon Sunni leaders endorse tycoon Mikati to form new government

Lebanon’s Sunni leaders, including former PM Saad Hariri, yesterday endorsed wealthy businessman and former Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, to form the next government, local media reported.

Parliamentary consultations are due to be held today.

According to Lebanon’s political system, the post has to be held by a Sunni Muslim, while the presidency is held by a Maronite Christian.

The Shia movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Amal Movement also backed Mikati with Hezbollah expected to follow suit, Al Jazeera reported.

The Druze-majority Progressive Socialist Party also announced that it would back Mikati.

However, the Christian Free Patriotic Movement founded by President Michel Aoun opposed Mikati’s appointment to the role, saying he is too close to Hariri.

For nearly a year, Lebanon has been governed by an interim government after Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s cabinet resigned in the wake of the deadly Beirut port explosion in August 2020.

Mikati served as prime minister of Lebanon in 2005 and from 2011 to 2014.

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