As Khatib withdraws Lebanon's Hariri re-emerges as PM candidate

Saad Hariri, Lebanon's leading Sunni Muslim politician, has re-emerged as a candidate for the Prime minister as businessman Samir Khatib withdrew his nomination to head a government that must tackle an acute economic crisis.

President Michel Aoun reacted by delaying until December 16 consultations with legislators that had been expected of Khatib being named prime minister on Monday.

Maximum parties requested the delay in Parliament on Sunday.

Hariri resigned as prime minister on October 29, after an entire political class blamed for state corruption and steering Lebanon into the worst economic crisis.

The Prime minister must be a Sunni Muslim. Under the country's power-sharing system, until a new prime minister is named Hariri has continued to govern in a caretaker capacity.

After Hariri resigns, talks to agree a new cabinet became mired in divisions between Hariri, who aligned with Gulf Arab states and Western, and adversaries including the Lebanese Shia Hezbollah group.

Last month, officially Hariri withdrew his nomination to be the Prime minister.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, Lebanon's most senior Sunni leader, told Khatib during a meeting on Sunday that he backed Hariri, Khatib said after the meeting.

"I learned ... that as a result of meetings and consultations and contacts with the sons of the (Sunni) Islamic sect, an agreement reached on nominating Saad al-Hariri to form the coming government," Khatib said.

There was no immediate statement from Hariri.