Former Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati is expected to secure backing to form a government in consultations to be held on Monday to designate a successor to Saad Hariri.
On Sunday, Mr Mikati received the support of Mr Hariri, leader of the Future Movement and former prime minister-designate.
“The Lebanese are waiting for positive initiatives to build on the French initiative and that of Speaker Berri to form a government,” ex-premier Fouad Siniora said after a meeting with Mr Mikati and another former prime minister, Tamam Salam.
"We support the candidacy of [former] premier Najib Mikati so that he can assume the task of forming a government based on binding parliamentary consultations ... and in line with constitutional rules in a bid to meet the aspirations of the Lebanese, their Arab brothers and their friends around the world, " a statement by the former premiers said.
Mr Hariri failed to form a government after 10 months of bickering. He said President Michel Aoun had dismissed his proposal to form a Cabinet that denies any one group in government a veto and sought to give his party veto power.
The Free Patriotic Movement, which Mr Aoun founded, is Lebanon’s largest Christian parliamentary bloc.
Currently led by his son-in-law, MP Gebran Bassil, it has yet to announce its position, but unconfirmed reports suggest it will oppose Mr Mikati’s designation.
Mr Bassil is an ally of the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah and a target of US corruption-related sanctions. He previously said Mr Hariri had sought to dictate the Cabinet line-up.
Mr Mikati is expected to receive the backing of Hezbollah’s Shiite ally, Nabih Berri. The Progressive Socialist Party, led by his Druze ally Walid Joumblatt, is also set to nominate him.
A lack of support from leading Christian groups would complicate Mr Mikati’s efforts to form a Cabinet.
Under Lebanon’s confessional power-sharing system, the presidency is reserved for a Christian and the post of prime minister is held by a Sunni Muslim.
The Cabinet must be approved by the president and prime minister-designate before a vote of confidence is sought in Parliament.
On Friday, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said his party would refrain from nominating a candidate for the post of prime minister.
The blast killed more than 200 people and caused billions of dollars in damage, compounding the country’s worst economic and financial crises in decades.
Since late 2019, the local currency has lost more than 90 per cent of its value against the dollar, plunging more than half of the population into poverty.
Lebanon’s financial meltdown has led to shortages in medicines and fuel, and sparked sporadic demonstrations against rampant corruption and deteriorating living conditions. Disruptions to power, water and the internet are frequent.
The international community, led by France and the US, has said financial support is contingent on the formation of a Cabinet and its introduction of economic reform.
No_One Ever Really Dies
N*E*R*D
(I Am Other/Columbia)
Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
