Carole Salloum, “Akhbar al-Yawm” agency
The designated PM is flexible, but there is a peculiarity in the composition that he won't compromise
The Battle of formation begins and the priorities of both, the president of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, and the prime minister-designate, Najib Mikati, are part of it in this government.
Of course, if it is the last government of the Tenure, President Aoun will stick to what he considers files related to basic appointments or reform laws and the status of the governor of the Bank of Lebanon. On the other hand, there are priorities for the president-in-charge, who, in turn, wants to complete the agreement with the IMF and decide on the financial recovery plan, but the issue of the distribution of ministries is the biggest battle in the formation.
Informed political sources tell "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency: there is a trend that the two presidents will not mind a simple amendment, but any expected replacement of one particular ministry will apply to the other, stressing that the whole issue depends on the understanding of presidents Aoun and Mikati, who are going through rounds of consultations.
Here, the sources indicate that if some parties do not enter the line, the expectations are high that a certain government decision will be taken, stressing that the first meeting between the two of them after the commissioning did not broach formation, even if there were points that had been discussed between them earlier dealing with the government.
The sources added that President Mikati, who made several statements during press meetings, outlined his vision, leaving the field open to negotiation, but cautiously, and they believe that President Mikati's flexibility is still the same, but there is a peculiarity in the composition that he won't compromise, pointing out that a big tension is expected, especially after the high verbal expressed by some, specifically the head of the Strong Lebanon Bloc, MP Gebran Bassil, and this alone indicates that the demands of the president of the Republic and the Free Patriotic Movement will be repeated whether they are achieved or not.
According to the same sources, if President Mikati recuses - and this may be difficult to predict - he will remain the head of the caretaker government, will this open the way for proposals for amendment, especially under the title of exercising major powers? It is just talk even if some are paving the way for a change in the current government or studied the possibilities available from constitutional, legal or even political aspects.
They conclude: the government file is difficult, and any direction that requires this amendment will need consensus, and the matter is not settled yet!