More than three months after the June parliamentary election, Lebanon’s U.S.-backed prime minister-designate Saad Hariri handed over his resignation to President Michel Suleiman on Thursday. Since the March 14 coalition won the election on June 7, Hariri was unable to form a government and get his proposed cabinet approved.

Suleiman, a Christian, must consult the legislature as early as next week to designate a new prime minister. There is speculation that the U.S.-backed outgoing premier Fuad Saniora would be selected.
In another scenario, Hariri may resubmit his own candidacy. But since the defections in his March 14 coalition his parliamentary majority is in jeopardy.
Some analysts suggest that Qatar could mediate between the two coalitions, just as it did in May of 2008.
Hariri and allies have blamed the Hezbollah led opposition and its allies, including Syria, for holding up formation of a government.
On Monday, when Hariri proposed his ministers to President Suleiman, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was quick to accuse him of lining-up a one sided cabinet.
Lebanon’s complex sectarian system requires the formation of a government in which all main groups are represented and is seen as a precondition for stability. In practice this rules out the current majority from forming a government on its own.
The opposition blamed Hariri for alienating himself of his own allies, including Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt, who defected from his camp last month and Phalange Party Leader Amin Gemayel, who recently spoke against him.
Another factor withholding the formation of the cabinet is the position of the Christian opposition leader of Free Patriotic Movement, Michel Aoun, who is demanding his son-in-law, Giban Bassil, retain his post as minister of telecommunications in the next cabinet. Aoun’s FPM holds 27 of the 128-seat parliament.
Hariri’s proposed cabinet also did not have the support of his parliamentary majority ally Gemayel who said that he will ask the premier-designate to reconsider the Phalange party’s share in the next cabinet. According to media report Phalange party was assigned only the Tourism Ministry.
Hariri’s resignation leaves Lebanon without the prospect of a new government soon. The first step towards stability is choosing a prime minister-designate. The second and even more important factor is forming a cabinet that represents Lebanon’s diverse population.
The outgoing government can only make short-term decisions, on a day to day basis. So until a government is formed Lebanon stays practically in a paralysis