Lebanon has fallen far from its proud title of “Switzerland of the East”. A reflection of how distant the country is from its golden age European doppelganger is easily seen in the realm of politics.
Switzerland in all its glory, being about 4 times larger than Lebanon, and its country’s affairs infinitely better managed, has always had a total of 7 members at the head of its Federal Council since 1848.
Whereas in Lebanon, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Gebran Bassil is calling to increase the number of proposed Cabinet ministers to 20 or 22; 3 times more members than in Switzerland.
Bassil‘s suggestion came as a proposed solution to the months-long government formation deadlock in which Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and President Michel Aoun continue to disagree on the Cabinet formation.
Adhering to the French initiative, Hariri has proposed a Cabinet of 18 nonpartisan specialists that would implement reforms to pull Lebanon out of its toppling crisis, but Aoun is rejecting it over the division of ministries.
The suggestion of Bassil, who is sanctioned by the U.S. government, is unlikely to be picked up by neither Hariri nor Aoun, who have disputed over many things except having an 18-member Cabinet.
