Newly-appointed Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab addresses a press conference in Baabda, Lebanon, on Dec. 19, 2019. Hassan Diab said on Thursday that he will work hard to form a new effective government to protect his country from the current crisis, the MTV channel reported. (Photo by Bilal Jawich/Xinhua)
BEIRUT, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's former Education Minister Hassan Diab on Thursday won the majority of parliamentary votes to become the new prime minister, local TV channel MTV reported.
Diab succeeded in securing 69 out of 128 parliamentary votes to form a new government, which will end 50 days of political stalemate.
Diab, who holds a doctoral degree in computer science, was appointed education minister in the government of former PM Najib Mikati in 2011.
He is currently a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the American University of Beirut.
Lebanon has been witnessing nationwide protests over the past two months which led to the resignation of the cabinet of Saad Hariri.
Protests erupted after the former government announced a plan to impose more taxes on the Lebanese instead of adopting a plan aiming at introducing reform measures to cut the budget deficit.
