BEIRUT — Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora won a new term Wednesday with the backing of a pro-U.S. coalition, angering the Hezbollah-led opposition that had pressed for a change in leadership.
The decision came amid a two-day outbreak of low-level violence between supporters of the country’s two main political camps.
Saniora was named anew to the government’s most powerful executive position just three days after former army of chief of staff Michel Suleiman was elected president and assigned to name a government, following an agreement meant to end a 19-month political crisis.
Syrian- and Iranian-backed factions and most analysts said they believed the majority pro-U.S. coalition known as the March 14 movement would nominate parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri, leader of the country’s Sunni Arab community.
Hariri had met for more than an hour Monday with Manoucher Mottaki, the foreign minister of Iran. The talks suggested he might have gained the blessing of Hezbollah’s primary international patron. Los Angeles Times
