PM Imad Mohammad Deeb Khamis, who was appointed 22 Jun 2016, was tasked by Assad to, at the time, reinvigorate the Syrian economy.  Since then, his Baath party along w/ Hezbollah from Iran and supported by Russia have been mostly successful in opposing and eliminating the Jabhat al-Nusrah. He was seen in many Western viewpoints as "someone who could be reasonable" since his background as an elec engineer has worked in his favor, both politically and governmentally.  Basically, he keeps the lights on, the TVs on, and pretty much anything that needs electricity.  Since Assad was duly elected, and his parliament gave him the authority to appoint a Prime Minister, I tend to want to allow him to remain.  Not just because he is an Allawite from Latakia (meaning a Christian) but that the alternative is worse.  Islamists cannot be allowed to get a stronghold of regional influence anywhere in the world. They said they will not stop until all are converted, or dead.  I believe them.