Despite a general consensus among the political majority regarding the stalled efforts of Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati to form a new government before the end of the term, the door remains open for a last-minute initiative. Regional and international powers are acting as if the failure to form a government could accelerate the agreement on a presidential candidate. The division over who is responsible for the lack of formation does not negate the fact that the demands and counter-demands have become a significant obstacle to the formation process. Mikati's performance during his recent visit to Baabda Palace last Tuesday demonstrated that he is not seriously interested in reaching an agreement, framing the visit as a farewell meeting before President Michel Aoun leaves the presidential palace. This was particularly evident when he asked, "Why government? Why don't we discuss the presidential elections instead?" He then inquired of the President about the possibility of forming a national unity government, fully aware that such a government could not be established in the remaining time. Aoun responded, "If you can, why not?"
Additionally, informed sources relayed yesterday that Mikati stated, "It is no longer worthwhile to form a government because we are too late." According to the same sources, Mikati is "confident that the Christian factions and the Maronite Patriarchate will not create issues with him regarding presidential powers after the end of this month, and that the outside world will deal with him as the Prime Minister, thus he is not obliged to form a government for which he will bear future decision-making responsibilities."
Notably, Mikati's advisor, former MP Nicolas Nahas, remarked yesterday that "there are no indications of a government being formed at any moment before Aoun's term ends," asserting that "the government has not resigned. There is no resignation letter, nor can President Aoun dismiss it; in case of a vacancy, Mikati’s government will bear the responsibility of managing the country."
On another note, political circles mentioned that there are critical days ahead to determine the fate of consultations and communications on government formation. They noted that the obstacles regarding the distribution of ministries or granting confidence have become well known, and the coming hours of the term will determine whether there is a hidden agenda behind the complications delaying the government’s birth. In this context, sources involved in the formation process confirmed yesterday evening that "there is no government, nor are there signs of a government being born," relying on Speaker Berri's recent statement that "dialogue will replace the presidential election sessions after they turned into a farce," considering that "the Speaker, by calling for dialogue, has pronounced the death of governmental consultations, because if there were any chance for formation, he would not have proposed the idea of dialogue that, if responded to, would continue until the election of a president."
