ALBAWABA - Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has now been chosen by MPs to become prime minister. He will now start the long process of choosing a government to start to deal with Lebanon's ongoing crisis.
The 66-year-old billionaire, who had been widely expected to keep his job, secured 54 votes during parliamentary consultations, giving him a clear edge over other potential nominees according to AFP.
#Najib_Mikati named Prime Minister with 54 votes, will now be charged with breaking the political deadlock in parliament and forming a new govt#Lebanon pic.twitter.com/SOBZWLIAeO
— Yuval Shemesh (@Shemesh7Yuval) June 24, 2022
The social media has been talking about this news that is breaking in Lebanon and the long-time prime minister will have his hands full.
#BREAKING – Lebanon billionaire tycoon Najib Mikati secures enough votes to be named prime minister-designate – @Reuters count.
He has at least 50 out of 128 votes (may get 3 more)
Lowest number for a PM-designate in at least 25 years.
He got 72 last year.— Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) June 23, 2022
Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati affirmed Thursday that "opportunities are still available to salvage what can be saved, in the country," referring to the severe economic crisis Lebanon has been going through for over two years, according to Anadolu.
This came in a news conference at the Presidential Palace and marked Mikati's first comment after he was named by Lebanese President Michel Aoun to form a new government after securing needed parliament votes.
#BREAKING@Najib_Mikati appointed as Lebanon’s prime minister-designate to form the government, following binding parliamentary consultations with @LBpresidency
— Rula El Halabi (@Rulaelhalabi) June 23, 2022
Mikati received 54 votes#BackToSquare2 pic.twitter.com/4gjQZWIC1x
Mikati said: "We have to be aware that we are facing either a complete collapse or a gradual rescue, and in the past months we knocked the door of salvation via the agreement with the International Monetary Fund," he was quoted in the Turkish news agency.
The powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, whose political alliance lost the clear majority it had in the previous parliament, threw its weight behind Mikati, according to AFP. The Tripoli native, who is the richest man in bankrupt Lebanon, has already headed three governments since 2005, it added.
