Bloc Names Candidate for Premier
Lebanon’s biggest parliamentary bloc Wednesday named former Finance Minister Fuad Siniora as its candidate for prime minister, making it likely that he would head the first government since Syrian troops pulled out of the country.
The Future bloc is an anti-Syria group headed by Saad Hariri, son of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in February.
President Emile Lahoud is to begin consultations to decide on a new prime minister today. He will meet Future bloc representatives and independent lawmakers, who will nominate candidates. He is obliged to accept the majority’s choice.
Elections that ended June 19 returned an anti-Syria majority to parliament for the first time since before the 1975-1990 civil war.
Syria pulled out its troops in April under Lebanese and international pressure after Hariri’s slaying.
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