Mustafa Adib as President of Lebanese Government

The binding parliamentary consultations today, Monday, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, resulted in Ambassador Mustafa Adeeb obtaining the majority of the votes of the deputies to take over the presidency of the Lebanese government to succeed Hassan Diab.

Adeeb won the nomination of the majority of the deputies, with 90 votes from among the 120 deputies, (after the resignation of 8 deputies), while a number of deputies nominated the former Lebanese ambassador to the United Nations, Nawaf Salam, and others abstained from naming anyone to take over the prime minister.

The "Future" bloc, headed by Saad Hariri, named Ambassador Adeeb, but announced that it would not participate in the government.

It also named the "Democratic Meeting" bloc headed by Taymour Jumblatt, Adeeb, stressing that it will also not participate in the government.

For its part, the "Strong Republic" bloc representing the Lebanese "Forces" party named Ambassador Nawaf Salam.

"Amal Movement" bloc, headed by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, named Ambassador Adeeb to head the government.

In turn, the "Strong Lebanon" bloc, headed by Gebran Bassil, named Ambassador Mostafa Adib.

The consultations to name a new prime minister come, ahead of the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Lebanon, who urged officials to implement necessary reforms.

Macron, who arrives late Monday evening, is leading international efforts to pressure the divided Lebanese leaders to deal with the financial crisis that devastated the economy even before the August 4 blast that killed 190 people.

Senior Lebanese officials said that Macron pressured Lebanese leaders to agree on a candidate during the forty-eight hours leading up to the agreement on Adeeb.

J.O