Lebanon moves closer to forming cabinet at critical juncture

Lebanon could have a new government soon, several high-level sources have said, but challenges remain a week after Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam was appointed by President Joseph Aoun.

Mr Salam has the responsibility of forming his cabinet at a time of major change in Lebanon. Previous cabinet formations have taken months as political parties battle over the positions they want.

“The new government structure has been finalised, consisting of 24 ministers. Blocs have begun proposing candidates accordingly,” a source told The National.

The election of Mr Aoun on January 9, following a two-year presidential vacuum, was influenced by pressure from the US, France and Saudi Arabia. Lebanon urgently requires financial support to tackle an economic crisis that began in 2019, further exacerbated by the destruction caused by a war between the Lebanese armed group and political party Hezbollah and Israel, which inflicted billions of dollars in damage.

A ceasefire deal to end the conflict, reached in November last year, needs strong leadership to ensure it holds. The 60-day truce is set to expire this Sunday.

Mr Salam held non-binding consultations with MPs last week. Shiite parties Hezbollah and Amal, which boycotted the consultations, met with him at the weekend for talks.

“Forming the government as soon as possible sends a positive signal to the outside world that Lebanon is on the right track,” said Mr Aoun on Monday.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is expected to arrive in Lebanon on Thursday, according to local media, marking the highest-level Saudi delegation to visit the country in years. His visit comes just days after French President Emmanuel Macron’s trip to Beirut last week.

Both Saudi Arabia and France are pushing for the formation of a government capable of implementing reforms and spearheading post-war reconstruction efforts.

Cabinet wrangling bearing fruit

The former president of the International Court of Justice has insisted he will not seek to exclude anyone in the process of choosing a government. He previously said his hands were "extended to everyone", in a gesture to Hezbollah that accused opponents of seeking to keep it away from power by nominating him for the post.

“Sunday's meeting between Judge Nawaf Salam and Hezbollah-Amal deputies did not reach a final conclusion,” said a source close to both blocs.

“Certain key details remain unresolved and will be addressed in a forthcoming meeting. However, the discussion resulted in a preliminary agreement to include the Shiite component in the upcoming government, dispelling recent rumors to the contrary. It was also decided that the Ministry of Finance will be allocated to the Amal Movement and Hezbollah alliance.”

Historically, the Finance Ministry in Lebanon has been held by ministers aligned with Hezbollah and the Amal Movement. Allocating the ministry to them again would likely spark controversy, as Lebanon aspires to usher in a new era under a president and prime minister seen as independent from the entrenched ruling elite widely blamed for the country’s many crises.

“Our only condition is that this government commits to the ceasefire agreement and the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions,” said a senior source from the Lebanese Forces, the largest party in parliament, which was not part of the previous government. It said multiple times before Lebanon's problems could only be fixed by a cabinet that is independent of political factions.

The source referred to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the implementation of which is crucial to maintaining the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese armed group is supposed to withdraw to north of the Litani river, removing its military presence near the Israeli border. Israel has until the end of this week to withdraw from southern of Lebanon, with the Lebanese Army moving in to take control.

“We are not pushing for anything specific. We have discussed various cases and issues where we believe we can make an impact. Of course, we will participate in the government if all the conditions are fulfilled, and so far, they appear to be,” the Lebanese Forces source told The National.

Mr Salam is seen as a newcomer and a break from the traditional political system. The work of Change MPs – lawmakers who emerged after the October 2019 protests against Lebanon's ruling elite – was instrumental in his appointment.

“The independent MPs consider themselves victorious, as the president comes from the outcomes of Lebanon's October 2019 uprising, a movement they carried forward,” said a source close to the independent MPs.