Noticias

In spite of “optimistic atmospheres” of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri that he is putting “maximum effort” to line-up the government, the formation path “has not witnessed any announced contacts” since his return from Riyadh, amid indecisiveness on whether it should include 32, 30 or 26 portfolios, al-Joumjouria daily reported on Thursday.

Sources of al-Mustaqbal Movement told the daily “although consultations are still young, but they are in progress.” They said Hariri wants to balance between the aspirations of political parties and the need to form a government."

Lebanon’s new government to be formed by PM-designate Saad Hariri will not “isolate” any political party, amid assurances that any obstacle threatening the formation process will be “overcome,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Sources of President Michel Aoun said: “The new government will not isolate anyone,” noting that the “Lebanese Forces are not targeted at all,” and that their concerns have been addressed during a meeting between the President and LF chief Samir Geagea.

One of the "main obstacles" facing PM-designate Saad Hariri’s bid to form a new government is “Hizbullah’s demand that a ministerial seat be allocated to a Sunni deputy close to the party,” the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat daily reported on Tuesday.

“The party has presented its demand to Hariri during Monday’s consultations, and is expected to reiterate it later on,” well-informed sources told the daily on condition of anonymity.

The line-up of the new government is likely to be announced on the eve of the Eid al-Fitr holiday or shortly afterwards, a media report said.

"The parties' demands regarding portfolios and shares will not become totally clear before the end of the one-day official consultations that PM-designate Saad Hariri will hold Monday with the parliamentary blocs," political sources informed on the formation process told al-Hayat daily in remarks published Sunday.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is set to begin lining up his government starting next week amid reports that the future Cabinet will see two new ministries added to the already 30-member assembly, the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily reported Saturday.

“Monday will see another day in the path of the Prime Minister in charge of forming an expanded government of national unity, as described by Speaker Nabih Berri, and it will be comprised of 32 ministers to include for the first time, minority Alawite and Christian ministers,” said the daily.

El presidente de Líbano, Michel Aoun, iniciará el jueves las consultas para la designación del primer ministro del paístras las elecciones parlamentarias del pasado 6 de mayo, según ha anunciado este miércoles el presidente del Parlamento, Nabih Berri.

Berri, que ha sido reelegido este miércoles para el cargo por sexta vez consecutiva desde 1992, se ha reunido a continuación con Aoun en la sede de la Presidencia y tras dicho encuentro ha desvelado a la prensa que el presidente tiene intención de iniciar el jueves las consultas.

The recently imposed sanctions on Hizbullah might “expedite” the government formation process rather than delay it, caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Tuesday.

“There is a decision to speed up the government formation and I believe that the sanctions on Hizbullah might expedite the formation process rather than delay it,” Hariri told LBCI television.

Hizbullah party is reportedly eyeing an increased share in Lebanon’s new government amid reports it could “foil its formation” shall Prime Minister Saad Hariri respond to the U.S. “veto” against the party, Saudi daily Asharq al-Awsat daily reported on Saturday.

Hizbullah, “will not accept to get the so called non-service-related ministerial portfolios like it did in previous governments,” said the daily.

Lebanon’s Cabinet is expected to convene on Wednesday to address several key files, including a controversial electricity file, before it turns into a caretaker government on May 20, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

The meeting will take place at the Baabda Palace to “tackle and place several files on the solution track before the government turns into a caretaker cabinet,” well-informed sources told the daily.