Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri on Thursday stopped short of presenting to President Michel Aoun a draft cabinet lineup after several obstacles hindered Lebanon’s government formation process.
March 8 alliance sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hariri’s efforts have now moved from the distribution of portfolios among Lebanon’s sects to the names of ministers, specifically those of energy and interior ministries.
“Currently, there are discussions concerning the names of the two ministers who will head the two ministries,” the sources said.
The Interior Ministry holds significant importance, particularly that the next government will be tasked to supervise the parliamentary elections of 2022.
As for the Energy Ministry, it is responsible for gas and oil explorations and the appointment of an independent Electricity Regulatory Authority, upon the international community’s call to regulate and reform the power sector.
Sources close to Hariri told Asahrq Al-Awsat there is no specific date yet for the visit of the PM-designate to the Baabda Presidential Palace.
Previous meetings between Hariri and Aoun have touched on the principle of rotating portfolios between the different sects, excluding the Finance Ministry, which will be kept by the Amal Movement and Hezbollah.
The Shiite duo have rejected that the Finance Minister post goes to a non-Shiite.
Their sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that both parties insist on not interfering in the lineup, adding that Speaker Nabih Berri is pushing for the quick formation of a government amid the deteriorating economic, health and financial situation in the country.
Head of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt criticized on Thursday the differences over quotas and names in a sarcastic language, writing in a tweet, “The Ministry of Specialists is becoming increasingly visible every day.”
