President Michel Suleiman appointed incumbent Premier Fouad Saniora to head a government of national unity on Wednesday after holding consultations with Lebanese MPs and parliamentary blocs. The majority bloc has decided on nominating Saniora for that post, while the opposition does not consider Saniora as a consensus candidate. "Based on his consultations with members of parliament ... the president has asked Fuad Siniora to form a new government," the presidency said.
The opposition has refrained from naming a candidate for the premiership.
The March 14 ruling bloc said in a statement late Tuesday it decided on Saniora and was to inform Suleiman of its choice when he begins binding consultations on Wednesday on forming the government.
The opposition is not likely to name Saniora who will be, if commissioned to form the government, a weak PM in terms of national consensus. Only Saniora and the majority bloc leader Saad Hariri, were being considered by the ruling bloc for the premiership, a Sunni post.
Formation of a unity government is a key element of a deal worked out by rival leaders last week to end an 18-month political crisis.
