The head of the "Free Patriotic Movement," Gibran Bassil, continues his open war against the government palace, determined to exclude the head of "The Determination" from the seat of the presidency. Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati is bolstered by an international safety net pushing for his reappointment to form the upcoming government, in order to maintain the communication channels he has established with the Arab and Western communities and the International Monetary Fund throughout the recent period. Observers noted, via "The Call of the Nation," that the notable visit of Western ambassadors and officials from the British and Canadian foreign ministries to the palace yesterday resembles a "diplomatic mandate" for Mikati just days before the binding parliamentary consultations, especially since information obtained from decision-making capitals indicates that he continues to enjoy French-American support to continue his governmental duties in the upcoming phase.
On a local level, expectations and intersections suggest that Mikati’s chances remain the most favorable at this point, tied to several factors, most notably "the lack of a clear serious candidate to compete with him for the premiership," as conveyed by informed sources. These sources also revealed that President Michel Aoun received "advice" from his surrounding circles, urging him not to succumb to Bassil's desire to "oust" Mikati and "risk appointing another figure to form a new government from which the presidency and his movement would not be able to secure ministerial gains equivalent to their current ones." Thus, the optimal choice for Aoun and the "Free Patriotic Movement" would be to concede to Mikati's reappointment "while complicating his task in forming the cabinet," to keep the caretaker government in place beyond the presidential vacancy, ensuring that the Christian ministers aligned with the "Free Patriotic Movement" hold a significant share, instead of forming a new government that would undermine their position and reflect the new balance of power in the parliament.
