Pro-West Hariri Named As Lebanon's New Premier

June 27, 2009 12:08 p.m. EST

Beirut, Lebanon (AHN) - Saad al-Hariri, the parliamentary majority leader, has been selected to become Lebanon's prime minister on Saturday.

A pro-Western alliance led by Hariri was declared winner as it secured 71 of 128 parliamentary seats. The remaining 57 seats were won by the Hezbollah-led bloc.

Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman official appointed Hariri to premier's position, following a meeting with him at the presidential palace in Beirut today.

Thirty-nine-year-old, who entered politics in 2005 after his father's assassination, pledged in a statement that he will seek to form a national unity government.

"In line with our commitment during the election campaign in favor of a national unity government in which the main parliamentary blocs are represented... we will begin consultations with all parliamentary blocs," BBC quoted him as saying today.

Hariri led the parliamentary elections on June 7, defeating the rival Hezbollah-led political bloc that is supported by Iran and Syria.

The reports said the voter turnout in the elections was at 54 percent, which was the highest percentage among the nation's three million eligible voters since the 1975-91 civil war.