Miqati's appointment came in a presidential decree. He has secured so far 68 votes, while his opponent, the head of the caretaker government, Saad Hariri got 60 votes.
"The president informed me of the outcome of his consultations with parliamentarians, which have resulted in my appointment as prime minister," Miqati told reporters from Baabda Palace. "I will cooperate fully with all Lebanese to form a new government that protects their unity and sovereignty," he vowed. He also pledged to maintain a centrist position.
The first day of consultations ended up with 59 votes in favor of the opposition candidate, former Premier Najib Miktai, while March 14 camp’s candidate, caretaker PM Hariri, got 49 votes.
Protests in support of Hariri broke out in many neighborhoods across Lebanon after Monday’s consultations showed Hariri far from securing enough votes to remain PM.
NEWSPAPERS
An-Nahar daily said, in its Tuesday edition, that the votes of the 20 remaining MPs “who will take part in the second round are split between the two candidates. “
The daily said that premises of an upheaval started to emerge since yesterday as Future Movement partisans took to the streets in Beirut, the North, Iqlim al-Kharroub, Saida and the Bekaa, chanting anti-Hezbollah slogans and voicing their refusal for Mikati’s nomination and their support for Hariri.
The daily also quoted Speaker Nabih Berri’s circles as saying that the Amal Movement and Hezbollah undertook urgent contacts, following which they agreed to leave things up to the army and abstain from getting involved in any confrontation with Future Movement partisans.
“The Future Movement’s protests will not affect former Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s decision to run for the premiership,” a source close to Mikati said in an interview published on Tuesday.
The source told An-Nahar newspaper that these protests should not develop and “harm people’s interests and Lebanon’s image.”
Al-Akhbar daily said in its headlines: “Hariri: I or chaos.”
The daily said it was certain that PM Saad Hariri “will no longer be in power and that former PM Najib Mikati is preparing to form a new cabinet. “
As-Safir newspaper quoted military source as saying that the security of the Lebanese people “reins uppermost and should not be undermined,” adding that “the Lebanese army is ready to face any emergency.”
According to the same source, “The Army Command took a clear and decisive decision to confront anyone who tries to undermine the security of the Lebanese people. The army does not aim to clash with anyone, but security is a red line and the army will stand against whoever tries to mess with it.”
National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt told As-Safir that Hariri “knows the danger of the situation and should stick to the democratic game.”
“We regret the riots in the streets by PM Hariri’s supporters,” Jumblatt said, adding that Hariri should protect state institutions because “big men show big in tough stages.”
“PM Saad Hariri has a major responsibility to end what is going on, hence to call on his partisans to accept the results of the democratic game and have everyone take part in the attempt to form a new salvation government.”
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