Lebanon's pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud held consultations with parliamentarians today to name a new prime minister to lead the country to a general election set for May.
Political sources said the selection of the new prime minister was a very close race between outgoing Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mrad, a staunch ally of Damascus, and the more moderate former minister Najib Mikati, a wealthy businessman with close ties to Syria.
Lebanon has been without a government since February 28, two weeks after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri plunged the country into its worst political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
The crisis has made timely elections increasingly unlikely, much to the ire of anti-Syrian opposition lawmakers who believe the polls will give them a majority in a chamber now dominated by allies of Damascus.
Lahoud met representatives of parliamentary blocs and independent MPs who named their choices for prime minister. The president must appoint the candidate who gets most nominations.
Official results of how many nominations each won were not yet known. Lahoud should appoint the man who won most votes.
In a surprise move, anti-Syrian opposition deputies, a minority in the 128-member house, chose Mikati.
Three opposition lawmakers, from about 40, refused to back Mikati but instead urged Lahoud to hold elections on time.
The United States is leading international calls for the polls to be held on time in May.
"It's in the interest of Lebanon, in the interest of the people of Lebanon, in our view, that these elections take place quickly and we hope that the cabinet formation will take place quickly," US ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman said after talks with Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud.
"The government of Lebanon needs to have a mandate. That can only take place through free and fair and democratic elections."