Billionaire tipped as Lebanon's new premier (News Feature)

By Weedah Hamzah Jan 24, 2011, 15:05 GMT

Beirut- One of the Middle East's richest men, Najib Mikati, has emerged as the frontrunner in the race to become Lebanon's new prime minister following the collapse of Saad Hariri's national unity government.

With a net worth estimated by Forbes magazine at 2.6 billion dollars, the 55-year-old self-made businessman is seen as a moderate politician who enjoys close ties with neighbouring Syria, as well as Saudi Arabia.

Mikati briefly held the job of prime minister in 2005, shortly after the assassination of Rafik Hariri, when he headed a government of technocrats and steered the country through parliamentary elections that brought an anti-Syrian majority into power after 30 years of Syrian dominance on Lebanese politics.

He is a moderate politician who has proved himself as a person 'who can take over hard tasks and unite people,' one of his aides told the German Press Agency dpa.

Mikati appears to enjoy the full backing of the powerful Shiite Muslim militant movement Hezbollah and its allies.

But his candidacy has yet to gain the approval of Hariri's camp.

Hardly surprising, given that the caretaker premier has been named by his pro-Western coalition as its candidate to head the next government.

A combative statement issued by Hariri's office said there was no 'consensus candidate,' a reference to Mikati's bid to portray himself as a man of accord, rather than discord.

'There is a candidate named Saad Hariri, and another candidate for the opposition camp, and the choice in this regard is clear and unambiguous,' the statement said.

After meeting President Michel Suleiman on Monday, as part of the head of state's consultations with the country's key political figures, Mikati said he had a plan to 'save the country' from its crisis and the 'political conflicts occurring on the ground.'

Mikati needs the support of at least 65 of Lebanon's 128 members of parliament. Hezbollah and its allies currently control 57 seats, while Saad Hariri controls 60.

Analysts therefore note that Mikati's chances depend largely on the actions of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, who quit Hariri's ruling coalition and joined the Hezbollah-led opposition in the aftermath of the government's collapse.

Securing votes from Jumblatt's 11-member bloc would give 'Mikati a bigger chance to be the next prime minister,' said a source close to the opposition.

A Harvard graduate, Mikati founded the Mikati Communications Group, which includes Investcom, a leading Middle Eastern mobile phone company that has interests across the region.

He has been a lawmaker since 2000 and served as transport and public works minister in Rafik Hariri's government, in 1998.

He is married with three children.

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