Little known Mustapha Adib set to be Lebanon’s prime minister

A influential group of Lebanese ex-prime ministers has picked ambassador to Germany Mustapha Adib to form a government for implementing neglected reforms and reconstructing the country. A devastating explosion on Aug. 4 killed nearly 200 people and flattened parts of Beirut amid massive protests against the corrupt government and economic meltdown. The group represents the largest number of Sunni Muslim MPs in Lebanon’s parliament, including the Future Movement bloc of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing pact, the prime minister must always be Sunni but he also needs the endorsement of Shiite and Christian communities. On Monday, President Michel Aoun begins consultations with their leaders on the Adib appointment, including the Shiite Hizballah and Amal.