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Beirut – On Wednesday, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will complete the distribution of ministerial portfolios following the consultations he described as positive with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, while an adverse atmosphere emerged that feared MP Gebran Bassil would disrupt the formation with his suggestion that the portfolios of justice and interior are on Aoun’s side, and this is what Hariri rejects.
On Tuesday, Hariri met with the Lebanese president for the thirteenth time after he was assigned to form the government two months ago. Hariri said the meeting was “positive, and there is a grand opening, and there will be a meeting on Wednesday, so that we can produce a (government) formation formula before Christmas.”
A source close to the Lebanese president, who preferred not to be named as he is not authorized to testify to the media, revealed that optimism remains cautious due to vital sticking points, indicating that basic disparity persists around to the internal and justice portfolios, and this divergence has not been overcome.
The source added that the search for the portfolios was carried out differently from the previous one in terms of redistributing the bags in a balanced and fair way among the sects, since it was agreed that the composition would be made up of 18 ministers distributed at the rate of six ministers for two Amal and Hezbollah (4 Shiites) and Christians for the National Party and the Marada movement. And six ministers will be nominated by President Michel Aoun, five ministers (4 years) will be nominated by Hariri and a Druze in agreement with the president of the Progressive Party, Walid Jumblatt, and a Christian minister agreed by Hariri and Aoun.
The source suggested that on Wednesday or Thursday the squad would be announced if an agreement was reached on the justice and interior portfolios, and if there was no new discrepancy in the names, it would be postponed for another day.
Sources indicate that Hariri is still holding on to the Interior Ministry portfolio as he wants to appoint Judge Ziad Abu Haidar to the head, as he is affiliated with the Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut, while the Lebanese president and his team (the head of the Free Patriotic Movement and presidential adviser Salim Jreissati insist that Aoun appoint the interior minister from His side.
Earlier this month, Hariri introduced Aoun, “a government formation of 18 ministers who have specialization, regardless of party affiliation.” However, the Lebanese president recently announced his objection to Hariri’s “uniqueness” in “appointing ministers, especially Christians, without agreeing with the presidency.”
On October 22, Aoun assigned Hariri to form a government after his predecessor, Mustafa Adeeb, apologized for the failure of his mission to form it. The next government, if successful, will replace the current interim government led by Hassan Diab, who resigned six days after the port explosion.
Hariri’s efforts to form his government ran into several obstacles, especially from the Free Patriotic Movement and its ally, Hezbollah, as the two sides raised a high ceiling of demands, including obtaining the third blockade and engaging in the details. more delicate of the government structure.
Government formation in Lebanon has stalled since the political crisis worsened after the Beirut port explosion on August 4, which led to the resignation of the current interim government, led by Hassan Diab.
