عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Lebanon Politicians Name Mustapha Adib as Favorite for PM

A file photo taken on July 18, 2013, shows Lebanon's ambassador to Berlin Mustapha Adib posing for a picture, upon his appointment to the position, in Bellevue Castle in the German capital Berlin. (Photo by WOLFGANG KUMM / DPA / AFP)
A file photo taken on July 18, 2013, shows Lebanon's ambassador to Berlin Mustapha Adib posing for a picture, upon his appointment to the position, in Bellevue Castle in the German capital Berlin. (Photo by WOLFGANG KUMM / DPA / AFP)
TT
20
TT

Lebanon Politicians Name Mustapha Adib as Favorite for PM

A file photo taken on July 18, 2013, shows Lebanon's ambassador to Berlin Mustapha Adib posing for a picture, upon his appointment to the position, in Bellevue Castle in the German capital Berlin. (Photo by WOLFGANG KUMM / DPA / AFP)
A file photo taken on July 18, 2013, shows Lebanon's ambassador to Berlin Mustapha Adib posing for a picture, upon his appointment to the position, in Bellevue Castle in the German capital Berlin. (Photo by WOLFGANG KUMM / DPA / AFP)

Lebanon's ambassador to Germany appeared slated to become the country's next prime minister after getting the support of former PMs, Hezbollah, Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement on Sunday.

Mustapha Adib was named by four former prime ministers on the eve of binding consultations between the president and parliamentary blocs on their choice for the post.

“The target of political and national action at this stage must be to save Lebanon from what is suffering from,” said Fouad Siniora, an ex-PM, reading a joint statement.

The announcement came a day before French President Emmanuel Macron was due to arrive for a two day-visit, during which he was expected to press Lebanese officials to formulate a new political pact to lift the country out of its multiple crises, political stalemates, and entrenched corruption and of mismanagement.

It’s Macron’s second visit to Beirut in less than a month. He came days after the devastating Aug. 4 blast in the port of Beirut that killed 190 people, wounded 6,000 and pulverized parts of the capital.

Adib is the only name to emerge so far as a favorite for the post of prime minister, who according to Lebanon’s sectarian-based power sharing system has to be a Sunni. The candidate who gets the most support is asked to form the new cabinet.

Hezbollah and Amal will also nominate Adib, the candidate put forward by Saad Hariri’s al-Mustaqbal movement, a senior source said on Sunday.

Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil told Reuters his party will do the same.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government resigned on Aug. 10, six days after nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut’s port.

Adib, who has been Lebanon's ambassador to Germany since 2013, served as an advisor to one of Lebanon's former Prime Ministers, Najib Mikati. He took part in the committee in charge of writing Lebanon’s new electoral law in 2005 and 2006, and acted as his chief of Cabinet in 2011.

Adib, 48, and a native of the northern city of Tripoli, holds a PhD in law and political sciences and had taught in universities in Lebanon and France.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
TT
20
TT

Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)

Scores of US-backed Kurdish fighters left two neighborhoods in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo Friday as part of a deal with the central government in Damascus, which is expanding its authority in the country.

The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh, which had been under the control of Kurdish fighters in Aleppo over the past decade.

The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. The deal could eventually lead to the merger of the main US-backed force in Syria into the Syrian army.

The withdrawal of fighters from the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came a day after dozens of prisoners from both sides were freed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces were deployed along the road that SDF fighters will use to move between Aleppo and areas east of the Euphrates River, where the Kurdish-led force controls nearly a quarter of Syria.

Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh had been under SDF control since 2015 and remained so even when forces of ousted President Bashar al-Assad captured Aleppo in late 2016. The two neighborhoods remained under SDF control when forces loyal to current interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa captured the city in November, and days later captured the capital, Damascus, removing Assad from power.

After being marginalized for decades under the rule of the Assad family rule, the deal signed last month promises Syria’s Kurds “constitutional rights,” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades.

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement.

Kurds made up 10% of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. Kurdish leaders say they don’t want full autonomy with their own government and parliament. They want decentralization and room to run their day-to day-affairs.