Lawmakers Name Berlin Envoy, Mustafa Adib, as New PM-designate of Lebanon

Lebanon named its envoy to Germany, Mustafa Adib, as the new premier Monday to steer the country through a deep crisis after the Beirut explosion compounded a sharp economic downturn.

The presidency made the announcement in a televised statement as Adib arrived at the palace in Baabda near Beirut to meet President Michel Aoun and parliament speaker Nabih Berri.

Aoun asked Adib, to form a new government after he secured 90 votes in the 128-member parliament.

The binding parliamentary consultations to name a prime minister kicked off at Baabda Palace Monday, three weeks after the resignation of PM Hassan Diab over the colossal Beirut port explosion.

The envoy to Berlin, former ambassador Mustafa Adib, emerged on Sunday as a front-runner, as French President Emmanuel Macron was to visit the disaster-hit country.

President Michel Aoun met first with ex-PM Najib Miqati who named Adib as his candidate to lead the new government.

Ex-PM Saad Hariri also named Adib as his candidate to lead the new government.

He said: “All parliamentary blocks realize that in order for a government to succeed it must be named swiftly to enforce reforms. Our aim is to rebuild Beirut after the devastating blast. We must place a clear plan and get foreign assistance.”

Hariri said he “supports a government of specialists who have successfully worked at their fields of expertise.”

Ex-PM Tammam Salam also named Adib. He told reporters after meeting Aoun that "officials must realize that this is the last opportunity for Lebanon and the Lebanese to save their homeland based on their understanding and with international and Arab support."

For his part, Deputy Parliament Speaker Elie Ferzli did not name any candidate for the post of premiership.

Ferzli said he has some "reservations" with regard to naming Adib as PM. "I only put a blank piece of paper in the hands of the President," he said.

Al-Mustaqbal, the Loyalty to the Resistance and the National Coalition bloc all named Lebanon's ambassador to Germany Mustafa Adib.

Head of Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, MP Mohammed Raad said in remarks to reporters after meeting Aoun: "In the name of the Bloc, we informed President Aoun of our clear agreement to name Ambassador Mustafa Adib."

The National Coalition bloc led by MP Farid al-Khazen, and the Progressive Socialist Party bloc led by Taymour Jumblat named Adib to lead the new government.

But Jumblat said, without explaining why, that his bloc will not participate in the upcoming government.

The Consultative Gathering bloc however did not name any candidate. "We were surprised by the nomination of a prime minister whose political program and background are totally unknown to us. Therefore, we did not name Mustafa Adib," they stated.

Lebanese Forces-led, the Strong Republic bloc and MP Fouad Makhzumi named former judge at the International Court of Justice Nawwaf Salam as their candidate to lead the new government.

MP Michel Daher named ex-Minister Raya el-Hassan saying, "Lebanon needs a salvation government."

MP Eddie Demerjian named Adib as candidate for PM.

MPs Chamel Roukoz, Oussama Saad, Jamil Sayyed did not name any.

Nadim Houry of the Arab Reform Initiative said Adib was "part of the professional advisors class that orbit around Lebanon’s oligarchs."

"He is a man of the system," he said.