Lebanon's Hezbollah Gains in Government Talks
VOA News 24 January 2011
Hezbollah's candidate for Lebanon's prime minister has secured the majority-backing from parliament needed to lead a new government.
Former prime minister Najib Mikati was set to clinch the nomination Monday after Hezbollah and its allies threw their support behind him. He now appears to have the backing of 65 parliament members, giving him a majority in the 128-seat legislature.
The development comes shortly after Lebanon's acting Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will not participate in any new government led by a Hezbollah-backed candidate.
Hariri announced his refusal Monday as the country's interim government began two days of talks to choose a new prime minister.
Earlier this month, Hezbollah and its allies resigned from the coalition government of Prime Minister Hariri, causing it to collapse.
The resignations followed tensions over a U.N.-backed investigation into the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, the father of the interim prime minister. Media reports have indicated the tribunal will indict Hezbollah members, but the group denies having had a role in the attack.
Hezbollah's leader said Sunday the group will seek a partnership government if its candidate wins a parliamentary majority.
Hassan Nasrallah also said his group does not want to exclude any political party from the next government's Cabinet.
News reports had said Hezbollah intended to back former prime minister Omar Karami. The choice was not popular with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who threw his support to Hariri while describing Karami as "corrupt."
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