Lebanon set to return former prime minister to role

By Wassim Seifeddine

BEIRUT

Lebanon’s new president, Michel Aoun, began consultations to select a prime minister on Wednesday as the country seeks to end two years of political paralysis.

Aoun, an 81-year-old former army general who was elected Monday, will hold meetings for two days with political groups.

Saad Hariri, who served as prime minister between 2009 and 2011, is expected to return to the head of government role, according to statements from those attending the consultations at the Presidential Palace in east Beirut.

Under the Lebanese constitution, the president must come from the Maronite Christian community while the premier must be a Sunni Muslim and the parliamentary speaker is a Shia Muslim.

Hariri, who leads the Future Movement that initially opposed Aoun’s election until an agreement last month, is supported by 80 of 127 lawmakers, according to the statements. He is also backed by current and former Prime Ministers Tammam Salam, Najib Mikati and Fouad Siniora.