A cabinet stalemate in the formation of a new government has prompted Lebanese President Michel Aoun to say that a “internal cold war” and “differences in political choices” have hindered the formation of a new government.
Aoun underlined on Friday that “differences in political options” continued to impede Prime-Minister designate Saad Hariri’s efforts to come up with a line-up. So, he called on all concerned parties to “assume their national responsibilities and facilitate the formation process.”
“We have maintained security and stability in Lebanon in times of heated wars; It is not possible to lose what has been achieved through internal cold wars,” he stated.
Sources close to Hariri’s Al-Mustaqbal Movement told Asharq Al-Awsat that the “Shiites in Lebanon” were trying to impose new norms.
“The Shiite duo [Hezbollah and Amal Movement] is trying to impose itself as a permanent partner in forming governments, contrary to the constitution that dedicates this role solely to the president of the republic and the prime minister,” the sources said.
Attempts to form a government have been stalled due to a crisis over the representation of the Hezbollah-backed March 8 group’s Sunni deputies, or what is known as the “Consultative Gathering of Independent Sunni Deputies.”
On a different note, Hariri will likely hold a session for the caretaker cabinet to study the budget law of 2019, according to Al-Mustaqbal official Mustafa Alloush.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Alloush noted that the caretaker government might convene soon to decide on the budget, which is highly important.
If Hariri agrees to invite the government for a session, he will be the second prime minister-designate - after the late Rashid Karami who headed the caretaker government in 1969 - to do so.
Asked about the constitutionality of such a move, former Minister and Constitutional Expert Ibrahim Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat that in order for a caretaker cabinet to convene there should be essential factors, namely the urgency and the public interest, noting that such conditions in the general budget law have been met.
