Next week, Lebanon will witness two significant events: the arrival of the American mediator in maritime border negotiations, Hochstein, and the announcement by President Michel Aoun regarding the dates for mandatory parliamentary consultations to name a new Prime Minister. The country is awaiting the important outcomes of Hochstein's visit and the assignment of a Prime Minister, followed by the more crucial phase of forming the government.
The days leading up to these two events are expected to be conducive to further consultations to determine what the officials will present to the American mediator and what they will hear in return. Furthermore, there is a need to agree upon the nominee for the new Prime Minister, or otherwise multiple candidates may be named, with the one who secures the majority of votes prevailing. However, there is ongoing debate regarding reports about certain change MPs' intention not to name anyone and instead set standards and qualifications for the new Prime Minister, and whether the President has the right to appoint someone based on these qualifications.
“Al-Liwaa” learned that President Aoun may set the date for the parliamentary consultations on Wednesday or Thursday of next week, but there is still no clear picture regarding the individual who will assume the presidency. “Ad-Diyar” reported that, so far, the situation remains "cloudy," and according to prominent parliamentary circles, the option of reassigning Prime Minister Najib Mikati is likely. However, the challenge does not lie in the assignment itself, as the more difficult task remains the formation process due to significant disagreements regarding the format and structure of the upcoming government, especially as the formation of the government is tied to the upcoming presidential elections in October.
The major dilemma revolves around the structure of the new government. The President and his political bloc want a purely political government to manage a potential presidential vacuum, while the "Duo" desires a national unity government, which the opposition and reformers reject, demanding a government of specialists.
Regarding the appointment of a Prime Minister, Member of the Change Parliamentary Group Dr. Elias Jarada told "Al-Liwaa" that the group has not yet decided to nominate anyone while waiting for the consultations to be scheduled and to identify the candidates and their programs. Nevertheless, they set a vision for choosing based on the program the candidate carries, emphasizing that personal factors would not dictate their choice. He stressed that they will not select based on a national unity government or a consensus model that has previously failed, leading to a situation where no one takes responsibility, as each party blames the other.
Deputy Firas Hamdan mentioned in an interview with "Al-Jadeed" about the possibility of an agreement with the Lebanese Forces to nominate a Prime Minister: "We can ally with anyone if they commit to the criteria we have established for appointing a Prime Minister."
“Al-Liwaa” has learned that Bassil prioritizes economist Saleh Nasouli, who visited Baabda and Ain El Tineh and presented his vision for a solution within a government of specialists, without any political authority.
Parliamentary sources speculated that Aoun would invite the parliamentary consultations as soon as the session for electing parliamentary committee heads is concluded or after the presidential meeting in Baabda tomorrow.
President Michel Aoun stated that "the democratic process will continue in the coming days through parliamentary consultations to assign a figure to form the new government, which is expected to gain the confidence of the Parliament and start working on urgent issues, particularly the economic situation, the recovery plan, and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, which are anticipated to secure loans to help Lebanon overcome the difficult circumstances it is experiencing."
