In his visit to Baabda Palace on Monday, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri met with President Michel Aoun with the aim of urgently forming a government of non-partisan specialists that will rescue Lebanon.
Only 30 minutes after arriving, Hariri exited the meeting in disappointment. The meeting was not successful and it is clear there will be no government for now.
Speaking on live television after the meeting, Hariri revealed that Aoun sent him his own proposal last night based on sectarian and partisan lines and asked him to fill the names of his choosing.
“Aoun’s message is unacceptable because the PM-designate is not supposed to fill in papers for anyone but is the one who forms the government,” he remarked, “and it is not the work of the President to form a Cabinet.”
“I put my formation in his hand 100 days ago and I am ready now for any changes and modifications,” he said adding that Aoun‘s main interest is having veto power.
Hariri shared the full list of names which he says Aoun rejected. It included names of experts such as Firass Abiad and Nasser Yassin.
“My goal is one, which is to put an end to the collapse and to the suffering of the Lebanese; I have asked President Aoun to form a government of specialists, carry out reforms, and stop the collapse.”
As the case was since Hariri was nominated PM-designate, the pair cannot come to an agreement over the next government’s Cabinet, which was supposed to be in line with the French initiative to save the country.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s currency continues to fluctuate leading to an economic catastrophe.
