BEIRUT, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's parliament re-elected Shi'ite Muslim politician Nabih Berri as the speaker for a seventh term by a slim majority on Tuesday, the local al-Jadeed TV channel reported.

The veteran legislative chief took another four-year term with 65 votes out of the 128-member assembly.

Following his re-election, Berri called on fellow parliament members to put aside their differences and work for the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese.

"The Lebanese and the world are looking at you as the single glimmer of hope capable of saving Lebanon," he was quoted as saying.

Berri, who leads the Shi'ite Amal Movement, has held the role of speaker since 1992 and is a close ally of Hezbollah.

Winning by the slimmest margin he ever got, the result reflects the new parliament make-up determined this May in elections when the Iran-backed Shi'ite movement Hezbollah and its allies lost the majority.

Lebanon has been facing the worst financial crisis in its history and the country needs to undertake major structural reforms to unlock billions of dollars in aid from the International Monetary Fund. Enditem

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