By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanese majority March 14 bloc nominated caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Seniora to head the new government under the newly-elected President Michel Suleiman, The Daily Star reported on Wednesday.
“The March 14 leadership unanimously agreed to nominate Prime Minister Senior to form the next Cabinet”, said a statement issued by the bloc at around midnight Tuesday.
The bloc said that it will inform Suleiman of its choice of premier on Wednesday when the new president begins consultation on the formation of the government.
The Lebanese Constitution requires the president to consult with the members of Parliament before naming a prime minister, with whom a government is then put together.
The new President Michel Suleiman met with various Lebanese political figures and foreign dignitaries on Tuesday, including Seniora, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud and France’s Charge d’Affaires to Lebanon Andre Parant.
After meeting with Suleiman, Seniora said his government is now officially considered to be resigned, but it will act as a caretaker government until a new Cabinet is formed, as is legally required.
Seniora, 64, has been prime minister since 2005. He and the son of slain former premier Rafiq Hariri, majority leader Saad Hariri, are the only two candidates being considered by the ruling bloc for the post of premier.
Suleiman, on his third day in the presidential palace, is to start consultations Wednesday to name the country’s new prime minister.
The chosen prime minister in turn will hold consultations to form the new cabinet, which is expected to be done within a week.
Lebanese pro and anti-government reached a deal in Qatari capital city of Doha on May 21 to end the Lebanese crisis.
They agreed to elect Gen. Michel Suleiman as a new president, form a government based on a 16-11-3 formula (16 for the majority, 11 for the opposition and 3 to be chosen by the president) and adopt the 1960 electoral law.