Differences on Mechanism Linger as Fate of Cabinet Session Unknown

The fate of the cabinet was still unclear on Thursday after Prime Minister Tammam Salam refused to confirm whether he set a date for a session to discuss the controversial decision-making mechanism.

Local dailies quoted Salam was saying that some ministers were paralyzing the cabinet over limited and personal issues.

Salam has been calling on changing the mechanism that was adopted by the cabinet following the failure to elect a successor to President Michel Suleiman, whose term ended in May last year.

It currently requires the unanimous support from all the ministers on the cabinet decisions.

But Suleiman and several cabinet ministers reject his proposal.

The crisis prompted Salam to suspend cabinet sessions in the past two weeks until the ministers reach an agreement on the mechanism which he wants it to be based on article 65 of the constitution.

The article's clause five says: “The legal quorum for a council meeting shall be a two-thirds majority of its members. It shall make its decisions by consensus. If that is not possible, it makes its decisions by vote of the majority of attending members. Basic issues shall require the approval of two thirds of the members of the government named in the decree of its formation.”

Some sources told al-Liwaa daily on Thursday that Salam will call for a session next Thursday but others denied to al-Joumhouria newspaper any positive developments in his contacts.

On Wednesday, Suleiman and seven cabinet ministers met on Wednesday at Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel's residence in Sin el-Fil.

This was the second meeting for the grouping in less than a week.

They said the government must continue to run the affairs of the people and the state until a new president is elected.

The grouping fears that giving the cabinet more authorities in the absence of a head of state would erode the country's top Christian post.

G.K.

H.K.