Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun will begin consultations with political parties next week to name a new prime minister. This is a crucial step in lifting the country out of its worst financial crisis. The president will hold parliamentary consultations on Monday to receive representatives from all blocs in the chamber and independent lawmakers. The process of selecting a prime minister and forming a government is often lengthy, as the president needs approval from a majority of lawmakers. The president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker is a Shiite Muslim.