A week before the start of the constitutional deadline for the election of a new president of the republic, any meetings between President Michel Aoun and the appointed Prime Minister Najib Mikati in the near future fall into the category of "lost time." Both parties are well aware of this, especially since everyone has acknowledged the impossibility of forming a government and obtaining its confidence in the remaining time of the term. Meanwhile, those involved want to secure the "lion's share" in any government formed today, considering that this government will manage the country's affairs in the event of a presidential vacancy, although the constitution is clear and explicit regarding operational rules, away from the "ad hoc" fatwas that some are invoking without legal basis. Therefore, the concessions that Mikati suggests he may offer, such as accepting Energy Minister Walid Fayad's continued position, are insignificant given that he refuses any substantive amendments to his formula and wants it as it is. According to insiders regarding the formation environment, they believe that the creation of problems is the prevailing atmosphere today, with regards to adding or removing a minister, repeating the same scene until reaching "boredom," until the caretaker government inherits the powers of the presidency.
According to a source familiar with the atmosphere of the Free Patriotic Movement—frustrated with the designated president due to his lack of interest in forming a government—it means that the issue of the government has become "behind our back." They suggest that the mobilization will peak in the last weeks of Aoun's term, not necessarily to recreate the 1989 Baabda Palace scene, but to ensure a celebratory image for the "founder" exiting the presidency without the movement losing power, in a scheme that secures the Christian leadership essentials for Deputy Gebran Bassil following Aoun.
Information from "Akhbar Al-Yawm" indicates that Mikati carries nothing new to Aoun today, effectively posing the question, "What are you coming to do with me?" The data suggests that this situation may linger as the concerned parties, specifically the "Aouni" team and "Mikati," are not ready to take a step forward, amidst mutual accusations of obstruction and procrastination, as if the caretaker government is the most suitable option.
