Lebanon forms new government led by Hassan Diab

New government announced nearly 3 months after resignation of previous government

By Mahmut Geldi

BEIRUT (AA) - Lebanon formed a new government on Tuesday with Hassan Diab, known for his close ties to Hezbollah, as new prime minister.

This comes three months after resignation of the previous government amid mass protests in the country.

President Michel Aoun received Diab and Parliament Speaker Nebih Berri at the presidential palace.

Lebanon has been rocked by protests since October of the last year. The six-million-people country suffers from high unemployment, slow growth and one of the highest debt ratios in the world, with the debt burden reaching $86.2 billion in the first quarter of 2019, according to the Finance Ministry.

The unrest forced then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri to resign amid the country's worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.

After Hariri bowed out on Oct. 29, parliamentary consultations resulted in Diab being named new prime minister on Dec. 19.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara

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