Beirut: Syria’s main opposition National Coalition has re-elected Qatar-backed candidate Ahmad Tohme as its prime minister after a stand-off between rival rebel backers Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
After five days of meetings in Istanbul, Tohme was re-elected to the post, which he was dismissed from in July after just ten months in the job.
Despite ongoing tensions between rival power brokers Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Tohme eventually secured 63 votes from the 65 Coalition members who participated in the vote on Tuesday night, the group said in a statement.
On Monday, a Coalition member had said that there were “strong tensions” and that “the participants could not agree on a new prime minister”.
Tohme, who is close to Syria’s influential Muslim Brotherhood, headed the coalition for ten months before being relieved of his duties at one of the bloc’s previous general assemblies.
His re-election comes amid continued jostling between Saudi Arabia and Qatar for the role of primary supporter of the Syrian opposition.
Both nations have channelled support to the Syrian uprising, and another member of the Coalition said that Doha was threatening to end its funding if its candidate was not picked.
“Qatar made clear that its financial support to the coalition would end if Tohme was not re-elected,” the official said.
Saudi-Qatar tensions have consistently hamstrung the Coalition, which is based in Turkey.
The body has been recognised as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people by countries including Britain and the United States.
But it faces accusations from Syrians on the ground of being ineffective, corrupt and out of touch.
