Lebanon's president designated Saad al-Hariri prime minister on Wednesday after the leader of the March 14 alliance stepped down from the post last week over rising tension with his opponents, a presidential statement said.
Hariri was called on by President Michel Suleiman to form a government after 73 out of a possible 128 lawmakers nominated him to the post.
"Following consultations with the speaker of parliament and MPs ... the president has called on Saad Hariri to form a government," the statement said.
Hariri abandoned a first bid to form a national unity government last week after his political opponents led by the militant group Hezbollah rejected his proposed government line-up.
Hariri was first designated prime minister in June, but stepped down last week, blaming rival factions including Hezbollah for thwarting his attempts at forging a unity government.
His move triggered consultations this week between President Michel Suleiman and lawmakers to pick a new premier. The talks concluded on Wednesday. Suleiman was obliged to designate the candidate with the greatest support among Lebanon's 128 MPs.
Signs of new deadlock
Following consultations with the speaker of parliament and MPs ... the president has called on Saad Hariri to form a government
Fifty-five lawmakers did not nominate anyone for the post, reserved for a Sunni under Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system. They included MPs belonging to Hezbollah and Amal movements, allies that dominate Shiite representation.
Amal, led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, nominated Hariri for the post in June. Its refusal to do so again is seen as a sign of deepening political divide between Hariri and rivals whose divisions spilled into armed conflict last year.
The Shiite groups and their allies have said the new prime minister must seek to form a unity government including all the main factions and abide by a seat-sharing arrangement splitting cabinet portfolios between Hariri's alliance, Hezbollah and its allies and a third bloc picked by the president.
Hariri and his rivals have traded accusations of blame since he stepped down last week. There has been no sign of compromise over the differences that derailed Hariri's first attempt, chief among them his refusal to yield to the demands of Christian politician Michel Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah.
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