BEIRUT - Saad Hariri has been named the new prime minister of Lebanon, taking over a post once held by his father, Rafiq Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman appointed Mr. Hariri on Saturday, after a majority of lawmakers had nominated him.

Speaking at the presidential palace, Mr. Hariri pledged to work to mend divisions between Lebanon’s rival political factions and to form a harmonious unity government.

The 39-year-old Saad Hariri heads a pro-Western party that won elections earlier this month.  A coalition led by Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, has the second largest number of seats in Lebanon’s 128-seat assembly.

Mr. Hariri and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah have pledged to cooperate in forming a unity government.  But Mr. Hariri says he will not allow the Hezbollah alliance to keep the veto power it has benefited from in the outgoing Cabinet.

Thursday, Lebanese lawmakers re-elected pro-Hezbollah lawmaker Nabih Berri as parliamentary speaker.  He has held the the position since 1992.

In Lebanon’s complex power-sharing system, the prime minister must always be a Sunni Muslim, while the speaker of parliament is a Shi’ite and the president a Maronite Christian.

The assassination of Rafiq Hariri, which many blamed on Syria, sparked massive protests that led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

Source:  VOA News