Geagea Meets Aoun, Hopes Cabinet Will be Formed before Holidays
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated, following his meeting with President Michel Aoun in Baabda on Wednesday, that the differences over the distribution of ministerial portfolios in the new cabinet are political, as he remarked that the party made many concessions before anyone else did.
“Differences over the distribution of ministerial portfolios are political. We were the first to make concessions,” said Geagea.
“There is no change in the government lineup which shall include 24 ministers. President Aoun is very optimistic and he promised to overcome hurdles.”
The LF leader added that Prime Minister-designate, Saad Hariri, was holding the necessary contacts in that respect.
“We are not against anybody and we hope agreement will reach Ain-el-Tineh, and even Dahiyeh,” he said.
“According to the constitution, the President and the Prime Minister-designate are the ones who form the government,” he concluded.
Geagea also voiced hopes that the new cabinet would be formed before the holidays, indicating that the delay is due to political issues.
Aoun's election as president and Hariri's appointment as premier-designate have raised hopes that Lebanon can begin tackling challenges including a stagnant economy, a moribund political class and the influx of more than a million Syrian refugees.
But Aoun and Hariri are still struggling to put together a new cabinet amid conflicting demands from the political forces that are seeking to join the unity government.
Horsetrading is still revolving around the so-called services-related ministerial portfolios, mainly public works and telecommunications.
Speaker Nabih Berri, who is negotiating on behalf of the Hizbullah-led March 8 camp, is clinging to the finance and public works portfolios while also insisting that the Marada Movement must get a key portfolio.
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