The optimistic atmospheres regarding a “quick” formation of the new cabinet do not reflect the reality as difficulties arise and hamper the mission of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, media reports said.
Unnamed sources said that things tend to tilt towards pessimism as for a close cabinet line-up as a result of preconditions set by some political parties.
The sources listed a number of issues that the parties still have to agree upon which they say is hampering a quick formation of the cabinet beginning with the shape of the government, the number of ministers and the share that will allotted for each political party.
The distribution of sovereign ministerial portfolios on political and partisan sides is another thorny issue that they still have to agree upon.
An understanding on whether the share of the newly elected President Michel Aoun, who is founder of Free Patriotic Movement, shall be separated from the share that will be allotted for the FPM.
Former President Michel Suleiman had a president share in the former government because he was not part of any political party, which is not the case with the current president.
Determining the share of the Lebanese Forces and balancing it with that of the Free Patriotic Movement also needs to be agreed.
Another issue is the stake of PM-designate Saad Hariri and his inclination to choose Christian and Shiite ministers as part of his share.
The shares that will be allotted to Aoun, Hariri, Hizbullah, AMAL Movement, MP Talal Arslan, Marada, Kataeb, and the Syrian Social National Party, are not final as yet.
Whether MP Walid Jumblat is going to include MP Talal Arslan as part of his share still needs to be finalized.
The process of forming a government could take months, with horsetrading likely to revolve around the distribution of key posts like the finance, defense and energy ministries.
Aoun was elected last month as Lebanon’s 13th president after a key endorsement from al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri and crucial support from Hizbullah. Aoun also received important support from the Lebanese Forces.
Aoun’s election as president and Hariri’s appointment as premier-designate have raised hopes that Lebanon can begin tackling challenges including a stagnant economy, a moribund political class and the influx of more than a million Syrian refugees.
In a sign that Hariri’s task of forming a new cabinet might not be easy, Hizbullah’s MPs declined to endorse him for the prime minister post.
Hariri is likely to struggle with his government’s policy statement, which will have to make reference to Israel, as well as the war in Syria, both potential flashpoints with Hizbullah.
Lebanon
