Beirut, Lebanon – An influential group of Lebanese former prime ministers has chosen lesser-known diplomat Mustafa Adib to lead the country’s next government, but confirmed his appointment in the nomination process on Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the group met on Sunday, Fouad Siniora said Adib should quickly form a government capable of implementing long-term reforms and overseeing the reconstruction of Beirut, most of which killed at least 190 people and previously damaged large parts of the capital. This month.
The group of four former prime ministers represents the largest number of Sunni Muslim MPs in Lebanon’s parliament, including former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Future Movement. His support is considered essential to the success of the prime minister, who must always be Sunni under Lebanon’s communal power-sharing agreement.
In addition to the less popular support for former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, he had the support of only 27 Munni MPs. His six-month government, which resigned in the wake of the August Gust blast, has failed miserably to demand economic and political reform, having resigned as prime minister last year.
On Monday morning, President Michelle is scheduled to hold binding consultations with lawmakers to proceed with the formal formalities of selecting the next prime minister, who must form a government – a process that has taken months in the past.
The advisers will begin with four former prime ministers and three from Hariri’s Future Movement group, all of whom will appoint Adib, Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany. Most major groups, including Hezbollah, the Amal movement and the Free Patriotic Movement, have indicated they will easily follow the court by giving the largest share of the vote.
‘Gift’ for Macron
Adib’s appointment comes a day before French President Emmanuel Macron’s second visit to Lebanon in less than a month – setting the visit to focus on the need for reform to unlock foreign support.
Lebanese analyst Karim Makadisi said on Twitter, “Gift for Mron Kron, liked it.”
Gifts for Macron. Got to love it 🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/ZnoXJrn7sc
– Karim Makadisi (KarimMakadisi) 30 Aug 30, 2020
In Beirut, just days after the catastrophic explosion, Macroe proposed to give Lebanese leaders a new political understanding and warned that failure to change could lead to deep unrest.
Lebanon is sinking into the worst economic and financial crisis in decades, pushing more than half the population below the poverty line and leaving the currency worth only 20 percent more than last summer.
This crisis has fueled decades of rampant corruption and mismanagement by the same political leaders who are to appoint the next prime minister.
If this is chosen, the Adib government will have to resume stalled negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for about b 10 billion programs – the main demand of international donors – and push for reforms in the power and financial sectors that have previously been beset by controversy. Lebanese sectarian leaders.
Diab failed to move forward in the process due to high-level disagreements. And although the next government will be under international pressure to push for reforms, very few in Lebanon will believe that Adib’s government will be very different – and some were quick to draw parallels between him and Diab.
“Mustafa Adib looks like the second Hassan Diab,” Lebanese analyst Ramez Dagher wrote on Twitter.
Mustafa Adib looks like another Hassan Dib … https://t.co/vvGMFZFTpY
– Ramez Dagher (@RamezDagher) 30 Aug 30, 2020
Like Diab, Adib is an academic and is not well known among the people.
Adib holds a PhD in law and political science and has been studying at the state-funded Lebanese University since 2010.
Both have ties to former Prime Minister Najib Mikati, with Adib serving as their adviser since 2000, while Diab served as education minister in their cabinet.
Adib’s four letter name is also an acronym for Diab.
“This is another attempt to beautify the system with a new face that very few people know and present its image that something is changing,” Sami Atallah, director of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, told Al Jazeera. “
“I doubt anything will happen, because we will see how this government will be formed together with representatives of different political parties, like Diab,” he added, adding that one obvious difference was that Adib was appointed by a large number of Sunni MPs. Will come, to give him broad support.
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