Next: Berri Remains Speaker, Geagea is Out, Lahoud's Fate Uncertain

Naharnet

Premier Mikati has said his government would be constitutionally out of office as of midnight Monday-Tuesday, when the mandate of Lebanon's outgoing parliament comes to an end. "As of then, I will be a caretaker prime minister," Mikati said in a new conference he held at his hometown of Tripoli as the curtain was lowered on the May-June elections. The premier said the President Pro Tempore of the new parliament, jurist Edmond Naim of Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces, will in his capacity as the eldest elected legislator convene the new legislature later this week to elect a new Speaker and Vice Speaker. An Nahar has said the session would probably be held June 26. Once the Speaker and his deputy are installed, President Lahoud will automatically begin consultations with parliament's new blocs to designate a prime minister. Mikati is widely tipped as the front-runner with Saad's consent. Mikati has proven himself capable of handling Gen. Lahoud while inexperienced Saad Hariri is bound to clash with the president who has taken more power into his hands than the Taif constitution allows. "I am not a premiership aspirant and I do not plan to return to the Grand Serail. But if the majority in parliament wants me, I will not shy away," said Mikati. He stressed that among the top priorities of the upcoming government and the new parliament is the economic reforms that have to be legislated in order to get the international community to extend economic and financial assistance to navigate Lebanon out of its fiscal straits, Mikati added. Spokesmen for Hariri and Jumblat say Geagea's parole is their top immediate priority followed by the question of removing or retaining Lahoud as president. A new electoral law also is a senior priority of the opposition once it takes power, they added