Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah failed in his Friday speech to give a clear stance on next week’s binding parliamentary consultations to name a new Lebanese Prime Minister.
In a televised speech, the Shiite leader said that consultations would take place on Monday and that the government should be led by caretaker PM Saad Hariri or a figure enjoying his support.
The Hezbollah leader deemed the resignation of the government a step backward.
“The resignation of Hariri was a mere waste of time due to the fact that the institutions that must carry out the reforms have been disabled," he said.
Lebanon's main parties failed to reach consensus on a new Prime Minister since Hariri resigned in late October amid huge protests against the ruling elite in the country.
Nasrallah said that the prevailing crisis needs everyone to come together, a thing which a one-sided government can't do.
He stressed the importance of forming a government capable of implementing reforms and said his party insisted on the participation of the Future Movement and the Free Patriotic Movement as well.
However, Nasrallah remained unclear on the identity of the Sunni figure that both Hezbollah and the Amal Movement are expected to name during the parliamentary consultations with President Michel Aoun.
Ministerial sources close to Aoun told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday that efforts were being exerted to compel Hariri into softening his conditions regarding the formation of the new cabinet. Failure to do so would hinder his arrival to the premiership.
“Hariri should be more logical,” the sources said, adding that a technocrat government should be headed by a technocrat Prime Minister or else political forces should back a techno-political cabinet representing all parties.
However, Hariri’s sources said the caretaker PM does not consider responding to anyone’s stance. “Hariri’s positions are clear. He should only head a new government that rebuts the traditional quota logic, meets the demands of the popular movement, is capable of addressing the economic and financial crisis, and respects the positions of Lebanon’s friends,” the sources said.
