Berri Says Situation Requires Hariri as Prime Minister

Speaker Nabih Berri has voiced support for the re-designation of al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri as prime minister, following remarks by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that his party is “open to discussing” the issue of the premiership should an agreement be reached over the presidency.

“Sayyed Nasrallah's speech was positive from all aspects,” several newspapers quoted Berri as telling his visitors in remarks published Monday.

“Ever since ex-PM Hariri nominated MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency, I have supported him (Hariri) unconditionally, and the situation and the national interest require the designation of Hariri as premier, seeing as he would achieve stability and fend off the elements of discord,” the speaker added.

Nasrallah had hinted in his speech on Saturday that Hizbullah does not mind the appointment of Hariri as premier in return for the election of Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun as president and the re-election of Berri as parliament speaker.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Hariri, who is close to Saudi Arabia, launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

Hariri's move prompted Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea to endorse the nomination of Aoun, his long-time Christian rival.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid argue that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.