Lebanon's Aoun Begins Consultations on New Gov't

Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun began parliamentary consultations on Thursday, after a week- delay, to select a prime minister and a new government that could rescue the country from a steep financial crisis.

Leading Sunni Muslim politician Saad al-Hariri, a former premier Saad El-Hariri might be named to head the coming government in Lebanon, according to sources.

Still, he would face major challenges to navigate Lebanon’s fractious power-sharing political landscape and form a cabinet.

Any new government will have to contend with a financial meltdown worsening by the day, a COVID-19 outbreak, and the fallout of the massive explosion at Beirut port that killed nearly 200 people in August, according to Al-Arabiya news agency.

It is worth mentioning that, Aoun announced on Wednesday, that he will remain in office, bearing all his constitutional responsibilities, according to Sputnik News agency.

In a televised statement, Aoun said, “I will continue to bear my responsibilities, in the designation and formation processes and in every constitutional position and stance against all those preventing our people from reform and from building the state.”