Lebanese president Michel Aoun, left, meets with Lebanese newly-assigned Prime Minister, Hassan Diab (Hussein Malla/AP)
Lebanon’s president has asked a university professor and a Hezbollah-backed former minister to form a new government, breaking a weeks-long impasse.
Michel Aoun named Hassan Diab as prime minister after a day of consultations with politicians in which he gained a simple majority of the 128-member parliament.
Mr Diab, 60, faces the daunting task of forming a government to tackle the country’s worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.
Newly-assigned Lebanese Prime Minister, Hassan Diab (Hussein Malla/AP)
He also failed to get the support of the country’s major Sunni leaders, including former prime minister Saad Hariri, which will make it difficult for him to form a new government.
Mr Diab arrived at Baabda palace later on Thursday to meet with Mr Aoun who summoned him for the appointment.
It was not immediately clear whether the appointment would satisfy people in the streets who have been protesting for over two months, calling for a government made up of specialists.
Lebanese president asks professor to form government
