Local media has reported that President Michel Aoun is still insisting on “his right to name the Druze and Sunni ministers who will replace Minister of the Displaced Issam Sharafeddine and Economy Minister Amin Salam.”
This may reflect a difficulty that is still obstructing the announcement of the formation of a new government.
“The past two days did not carry anything new as to the naming, at a time the name of ex-minister Saleh al-Gharib moved to the back burner, seeing as it is not appropriate to name a figure who would provoke Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblat,” informed sources said.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper meanwhile reported that Hezbollah has strongly intervened to mediate between Baabda and the Grand Serail and that Hezbollah political aide, Hussein al-Khalil, has met with PM Mikati to “stress the need to form a new government no matter what it takes.”
Official political sources directly concerned with the governmental file also told al-Joumhouria that Paris has also intervened through its ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo, who “has relayed an urgent request to Lebanese leaders on the necessity to form a government in an urgent manner.”
Related: Saudi-French Meetings As Lebanese Army Chief Topping Presidential Candidates List.
