Disasters & Accidents

Lebanese Parliament names Mustapha Adib as PM hours before Macron’s visit

Beirut, Aug 31 (efe-epa).- The Lebanese parliament on Monday voted for Mustapha Adib to become the new prime minister, taking over from Hassan Diab, who resigned in the wake of the Beirut blast that killed 190 people earlier this month.

Adib, who has been Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany since 2013, was backed by the chamber’s main political blocs.

Adib is, like Diab, is a Sunni Muslim. According to Lebanon’s confessional system, the Lebanese prime minister must be Sunni; while the speaker of parliament must be a Shiite Muslim, and the president a Maronite Christian.

After a meeting with President Michel Aoun, Adib showed gratitude for the confidence placed on him, according to the state-run NNA news agency.

“There is no time for words and promises; it is time to work hard, with everyone involved, for the sake of the recovery of our country,” he said.

“We will, God willing, succeed in this task to select a coherent working group to carry out basic reforms to put the country on the right path,” he added.

Adib was the confidant of former prime minister Najib Mikati, and his advisor from 2000 to 2011, when he was appointed his chief of staff.

The news came a few hours before French president Emmanuel Macron was due to pays Lebanon a follow-up visit. He proposed a new political pact during his visit to the country a couple of days after the explosion.

Adib became the third prime minister Lebanon has had in 10 months. Saad Hariri stepped down on 29 October after 12 days of massive anti-government rallies.

The 48-year-old was appointed nearly three weeks after Diab resigned following anti-government protests that took place in the aftermath of the powerful blast that hit the Lebanese capital.

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