Hezbollah-backed Diab to be new Lebanon PM

Lebanese President Michel Aoun announced Thursday that a little-known academic and former education minister is to lead the country.

Hassan Diab was put forth as a candidate with the support of Lebanon's parliamentary blocs affiliated with Shiite movements including Amal, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) founded by the Christian President Aoun, and Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies.

The announcement comes after almost two months of political turmoil in Lebanon, where anti-government protests have destabilized the country.

Aoun said in a statement after the twice-delayed talks that he had summoned "Hassan Diab to appoint him to form a government."

Diab, a 60-year-old engineering professor from the American University of Beirut, is replacing Lebanon's outgoing prime minister, Saad Hariri.

Read more: Opinion: Lebanon needs more than just protests and outrage 

Shiite support

After Aoun consulted with lawmakers, Diab gained a simple majority in the 128-member parliament. Sixty-nine lawmakers, including the Shiite Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, voted for Diab.

Diab did not receive backing from Sunni blocs or their own Christian allies. 

Critics have warned that Diab's nomination could result in an unbalanced government and cause sectarian tensions, as well as hinder efforts to secure aid from the international community.

In his first public address, Diab promised to swiftly form a diversely represented government after consulting with various political parties as well as representatives from the protest movement. 

"I will work hard to form a government as soon as possible ... All our efforts must now focus on stopping the collapse and restoring confidence," Diab said from the presidential palace.

The new leader said he is committed to a reform plan to address Lebanon's "critical and sensitive" situation. The country is facing its worst economic crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war and is also one of the most indebted countries in the world. 

Although he gained the majority of the votes, Diab faces a potential setback in forming a new government as he failed to garner support from Lebanon's major Sunni leaders, including Hariri. 

Hariri had dropped out of the race on Wednesday and his bloc did not nominate its own candidate for prime minister.

The 49-year-old Sunni leader faced mounting pressure from the wave of violent protests, prompting him to resign seven weeks ago. His departure left Lebanon without a government to combat its economic crisis. 

Read more: Is the Middle East seeing a new Arab Spring?

Germany's Bundestag calls for Hezbollah ban

The German parliament Thursday passed a resolution that calls on the federal government to implement a complete ban on the Hezbollah movement and urged other European Union countries to take similar actions. 

The resolution called for "the federal government to issue a ban on Hezbollah activities, so that any activity in Germany by representatives of the organization, which is directed against the idea of international understanding, will not be tolerated."

The German government is in the process of assessing whether to ban the Hezbollah organization outright, a measure Israel has been calling for. 

mvb/dr (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)

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