Lebanon: Saad Hariri steps down as prime minister-designate

Future Movement leader unable to agree with President Michel Aoun on government formation

Lebanese Prime Minister-Designate Saad al-Hariri speaks as he abandons cabinet formation, after meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda (Reuters)

By MEE and agencies

Published date: 15 July 2021 13:35 UTC | Last update: 4 mins 42 secs ago

Saad Hariri announced on Thursday that he would no longer try and form a Lebanese government, renouncing his role as prime minister-designate.

Hariri, who has had two spells as prime minister and was tasked with forming a cabinet after Hassan Diab’s government resigned following the 4 August Beirut port explosion, said he was unable to come to an arrangement with President Michel Aoun over its lineup.

“It is clear we will not be able to agree with his excellency the president,” Hariri told reporters after a meeting with Aoun that lasted just 20 minutes.

“That is why I excuse myself from government formation.”

The Future Movement leader was made prime minister-designate in October. However, reaching an agreement over which political parties would recieve which ministries quickly became a problem.

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