Lebanon’s Hariri resurfaces as PM candidate as Khatib withdraws

Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician, Saad al-Hariri, re-emerged as a candidate for prime minister on Sunday when businessman Samir Khatib withdrew his candidacy to lead a government that must tackle an acute economic crisis.

President Michel Aoun responded by postponing until Dec. 16 consultations with lawmakers that had been expected to result in Khatib being named prime minister on Monday. The delay was requested by most parties in parliament, the presidency said.

Hariri quit as prime minister on Oct. 29, prompted by mass protests against an entire political class blamed for state corruption and steering Lebanon into the worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

Under the country’s power sharing system, the prime minister must be a Sunni Muslim. Hariri has continued to govern in a caretaker capacity until a new prime minister is named.

Via Reuters