Lebanon’s new prime minister Hassan Diab kicked off consultations on the forming new government. After discussions with the different parliamentary blocs the future Cabinet will be shaped, Asharq Al-Awsat reports on Saturday.
A new Lebanese prime minister Diab inherited the worst economic and financial crisis in decades. According to PM, on Saturday, he started the consultations and developing the plan on how to curb the total crisis in Lebanon.
Diab took office amid the social unrest, a day after scuffles broke out in Beirut and other cities between supporters of the outgoing PM, Saad Hariri, and Lebanese troops and riot policemen. Hariri’s supporters were so angry with Diab’s nomination that the scuffles left at least seven soldiers injured. The ex-PM cautioned his fans Saturday against violent protests, saying: “The army is ours and police forces are for all Lebanese.”
On Saturday, the PM-designate met at parliament with Speaker Nabih Berri, then held talks with former prime ministers. The dealing with the country’s crippling economic crisis was on agenda.
Lebanon: crisis is deepening
The mass protests in Lebanon erupted in mid-October and forced then-PM Hariri’s to resign within days. But politicians were later unable to agree on a new head of Cabinet. The ongoing protests and paralysis have worsened the economic crisis and provoked the social tension’s rising.
Under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing agreement, the prime minister must be Sunni.
The new prime minister is a Sunni, now his main problem is the powerful Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah and its allies, which have a majority of seats in parliament.
