Rival Camps Mull Names for Premiership as MP Salam Holds Talks with Hariri

Binding consultations for naming a prime minister-designate are likely to result in nearly 60 MPs in favor of the March 14 alliance's candidate, An Nahar daily reported on Thursday as MP Tammam Salam held talks with al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri, a sign that he is the coalition's candidate.

The newspaper said that another 58 MPs would come in support of the March 8 camp's nominee while the rest of the lawmakers would not name any PM-designate who will be tasked with forming the new cabinet less than a month after the resignation of Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati.

Neither the March 14 opposition coalition nor the March 8 majority alliance have officially announced their nominees. They are set to hold separate last-minute meetings to agree on their candidates.

The opposition plans to announce the name of its candidate following a large-scale meeting at the Center House on Thursday night. But Salam's visit to Saudi Arabia for talks with Hariri signaled that he is the top candidate for the post.

The binding consultations set by President Michel Suleiman with parliamentary blocs and independent MPs will be held on Friday and Saturday at Baabda palace.

Suleiman will later task the nominee who has received the majority's support with forming the new government.

The date of the March 8 majority's announcement of its candidate is not clear however. The alliance's leaders held a meeting in Ain el-Tineh on Wednesday to name a “consensus candidate.”

But all eyes are turned to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, whose choice for the next prime minister will be decisive in defining the new majority.

Jumblat's 12-member National Struggle Front parliamentary bloc, along with the March 8 majority led by Hizbullah, brought Miqati to the premiership in 2011 shortly after the collapse of the government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

But media reports have said that Jumblat will this time endorse the March 14 alliance's candidate, whose name will be decided by the al-Mustaqbal movement chief.

The reports also said that the PSP chief has informed Hariri that he agreed to Salam's nomination.

Jumblat has said he would announce his stance during a TV interview on LBCI's Kalam al-Nass talk show on Thursday night.