Candidates in the running

EXECUTIVE asked four of the top analysts on Lebanese politics their opinion on who is most likely to be the next prime minister and how qualified each candidate is. Here are the results Rafic Hariri • “The only obstacle is his bad relations with the president. If everything is left to go as it should then it will be Hariri as prime minister. It seems the Syrians are trying now, through some consultations with the president, to find consensus. If they don’t succeed, the choice will be between Mikati and Kassar.” Sarkis Naoum, political commentator for An-Nahar newspaper • “Hariri has certain priorities. His first is to have more or less the government of his choice. He wants to control the ministers, especially the minister of finance. If he cannot get this, he will prefer not to be the prime minister. This could be difficult; Lahoud doesn’t want to give