A request made by Hezbollah for a ministerial portfolio to its Sunni allies in the new parliament was on Monday seen as an obstacle to the cabinet formation efforts of PM-designate Saad Hariri who kicked off consultations with parliamentary blocs on the shape of the new government.
The Shiite party sees its demand as legitimate after the latest parliamentary elections resulted in the victory of 10 Sunni lawmakers not directly falling “under the umbrella” of Hariri’s al-Mustaqbal Movement.
In previous parliaments, most Sunni lawmakers were from Hariri’s bloc, which allowed him to appoint all of the sect’s ministers.
After a meeting with Hariri on Monday, head of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad did not reveal that the party requested a Sunni portfolio.
Raad said the bloc had requested an “important” portfolio and reiterated the need for a Ministry of Planning.
However, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the party made the demand during the bloc’s meeting with Hariri on Monday.
“Hezbollah plans to stress this condition in the coming stage,” the sources said.
Most Mustaqbal deputies preferred not to comment on Hezbollah’s new demand, considering that the Shiite party has not yet officially announced it.
However, sources close to Hariri’s Movement said that in the case Hezbollah insists on receiving a Sunni seat in the new cabinet, al-Mustaqbal would in return request a portfolio to a Shiite figure that is close to the PM.
“All Sunni MPs who won in the last elections from outside the Mustaqbal Movement, do not form a joint bloc, but are rather independents, therefore, they are not allowed to receive a ministerial seat,” the sources said.
Recently, President Michel Aoun expressed a desire to appoint a Sunni minister from his share in the new cabinet. The sources said that in such a case, al-Mustaqbal would accept to offer one of its Sunni seats to the President in return for receiving a seat reserved for a Christian.
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