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Al Ain News
Friday 10/23/2020 4:59 PM Abu Dhabi time
Amid a dispute between the Lebanese parties over the government formula, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is holding non-binding parliamentary consultations in parliament.
Parliamentary consultations are carried out by the designated Prime Minister before starting the government formation process, to see the views of the blocs on the form and nature of government.
Despite Hariri’s claim that he will make efforts to form a specialist cabinet, some parties continue to push for a techno-political government, meaning that parties have a role in it, led by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, the parliamentarian. Gebran Bassil (son-in-law of the President of the Republic).
Most of the large parliamentary blocs participated in the consultations that were an occasion to break the ice in the relationship between Hariri and Bassil, following the great political dispute between them since the first resignation of the previous government after the outbreak of popular protests, and Bassil refused to name him in yesterday’s parliamentary consultations.
Bassil considered that Hariri’s proposal to form a government of non-politicians cannot be carried out on the basis that the “head of the Future Movement” who was assigned to form the government is a politician and therefore it is assumed that it must form a techno-political government.
Hariri opened his meetings with former Prime Ministers, Najib Mikati and Tamam Salam, in addition to the Vice President of Parliament, Elie Ferzli, and the “Amal Movement” bloc headed by the President of Parliament Nabih Berri, and then the “Free Patriotic Movement” and the “Future Block”.
Mikati said after her meeting with Hariri that she had given her opinion “on the need to form a government of specialists and their team to be harmonious.”
He added: “We also talked about ways to deal with the consequences of the explosion in the port (August 4). I also requested that the criminal investigation be continued in all state facilities.”
The same position was expressed by the vice president of Parliament, Elie Ferzli, who called for “a government of independent specialists from the confines of positive understanding between Hariri and the deputies.”
In turn, Salam trusted that “the consultations will culminate in a positive and constructive climate in which everyone expresses a serious desire to save the country and stop the collapse in light of the French initiative, which needs intense and serious work” .
He added: “We hope that within 3-6 months we can achieve reform, otherwise all options are difficult.”
Salam asked “to face the facts and be above all. Beirut deserves a rescue government that will move us forward.”
The “Amal Movement” bloc, on whose behalf Deputy Anwar al-Khalil spoke, demanded the formation of a government of specialists and the initiation of reforms.
Despite the disagreement, Bassil expressed a response to the cooperation with Hariri, saying after his meeting with the head of the Free Patriotic Movement in Parliament: “We have fulfilled our constitutional duty to accept the call of the chief in charge of consultations, and our The conversation was responsible, frank and open, and this confirms that there is no personal problem. ”
Bassil claimed that “the government be technopolitical, that is to say that it has political support, and the most important thing is that the ministers have competence and experience.”
On the other hand, the Future bloc left the matter of training to Hariri, highlighting that the country can no longer tolerate any delay and all political forces are aware of the risks surrounding the country and its economic and financial repercussions on Lebanon and the village.
The training consultations will continue until this afternoon, after which the government training work begins, during which the designated president meets with the parliamentary blocs.
Yesterday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun assigned Hariri to form a new government, after he postponed consultations from October 15 to 22.
Only former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who ran for office, declared himself a “natural candidate.”
He expressed his desire to form a government of specialists, after Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Adib apologized on September 26 for the training.
Hariri’s appointment comes almost a year after he submitted his government’s resignation on October 29, following popular protests that began on October 17.
At the time, Hassan Diab was appointed to the government before resigning on August 10, in the context of the Beirut bombing, which killed hundreds, injured thousands and destroyed much of the capital.
