BEIRUT - A possible candidate for prime minister of Lebanon said Sunday he is withdrawing from consideration for the post, prolonging the country’s political crisis. Samir Khatib’s announcement came hours before he was expected to be named as the official candidate for the post following consultations between the president and major parliamentary blocs. Khatib’s statement also comes shortly after his visit to the country’s top Sunni religious authority, who told him the community supports resigned former prime minister Saad Hariri for the job. Hariri resigned Oct. 29 amid nationwide protests in which demonstrators accused the political elite of corruption and mismanagement. Under Lebanon’s sectarian-based political system, the prime minister comes from the Sunni Muslim community, while the president is chosen from the Maronite Christian community.

Source: thestar December 08, 2019 16:07 UTC