Since the designation of Future Movement leader Saad Hariri, it looks like it will be smooth sailing to forming a Cabinet soon. Last week, Hariri was nominated PM-designate and promised to form a government of nonpartisan specialists.
According to local media citing sources close to President Aoun, the government could be formed in as soon as two weeks – or even less.
“Should the atmosphere remain unchanged, and should no unexpected development happen, the government will be formed as quickly as possible,” said the source to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.
The source noted that this will have a positive impact on Lebanon’s general situation, including a drop in the lira/dollar exchange rate.
When Hariri was designated prime minister, the Lebanese pound significantly rose against the dollar, a fluctuation we see with every political event in the country.
However, the first indications are that Hariri’s government may not bring the expected changes.
Local media report that certain politicians are already choosing their ministries. Knowing how these are usually “imposed” by the parties, there is a justifiable doubt about a government being formed of “nonpartisan specialists.”
According to a report in Kuwait newspaper Al-Jarida, the finance ministry will go to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, as was previously demanded by the Shiite ruling leaders, and which caused Mustapha Adib’s failure to form a government and hence to resign.
The health ministry will remain with Hezbollah, also according to Al-Jarida, but the health minister will be a specialist, allegedly not a party member.
On Monday, Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea said that he sees no hope in the upcoming government, based on the way it’s being formed.
“It seems that there is no hope in this government, because its formation has started by promising the Shiite duo and the Progressive Socialist Party that they would be granted certain portfolios,” he said in a radio interview.
Geagea said that in the best-case scenario, Hariri’s government will look like Hassan Diab’s, and called it “a waste of time.” As seen, Diab’s government only took the country into a deeper crisis.
Geagea was among those who opposed Hariri’s PM-designation because he said that it will lead nowhere so long as the “ruling trio” was in charge, referring to the Free Patriotic Movement, Amal Movement, and Hezbollah.
In summary, the unfurling scene of appropriations of power-seats by political parties promises a persistence of the country’s undesirable status quo and… the fueling of the revolution of the people refuting that same and neverending status quo.
