President Michel Aoun “had some observations” on the first detailed draft cabinet line-up presented by Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, his office said Monday, signaling a lack of final agreement on the division of shares and portfolios among Lebanon’s leading parties.
Hariri visited Aoun at Baabda Palace on Monday, handing him an initial version of a government formula.
He told reporters that the formula was “for a national entente government in which no one wins over the other, but each team sacrifices in some way.”
"Nobody has this draft except me and the President; and it has not been discussed with anybody else," he said.
Following their meeting, the Presidential Palace said in a statement that Aoun “had some observations” based on the principles and criteria used to form the government, which is required to serve the interest of Lebanon.
"The President would remain in consultation with the PM-designate in preparation for an agreement on the new government lineup," the statement said.
Hariri’s latest proposal was the first to include the details on each political party’s share.
But a dispute on the representation of the Druze community remained unsolved.
Differences on the representation of Christians also remained. Lebanese well-informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the principle obstacle is that of Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil.
The sources said the last round of talks held by Hariri resulted in offering the LF four ministers, on condition that the party gets four portfolios.
However, Bassil rejected this demand and said the LF should get four ministries, including a minister of state without portfolio.
“If some parties continue to reject our demands, then we will return to our previous demand for five ministers, including one sovereign portfolio. This is our right based on the results of the last parliamentary elections,” LF sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
