Lebanon’s PM-elect Hariri, President Aoun exchange proposals on government formation

Lebanon’s President Aoun agreed with Prime Minister-elect Hariri on Wednesday night to study the government formation proposals presented by both and continue consultations to address the differences between these proposals, reported Lebanese Presidency.

The General Directorate of the Presidency of the Republic issued a statement confirming that the President, General Michel Aoun, received Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, who presented him with a full government formation proposal.

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In return, President Aoun handed over to the President-designate an integrated government proposal that includes a distribution of portfolios based on clear principles, the statement added.

Lebanon is facing an unprecedented economic crisis. The international community has asked Lebanese politicians to form an independent government capable of pursuing reform for the nation to set a work plan with the International Momentary Fund and international donors.

The government’s formation has been taking longer than expected by the international community due to political and sectarian rifts between Lebanese politicians.

In October, Saad Hariri was appointed as Lebanon’s prime minister-designate just a year after leaving from office during the October 17 uprising.

Hariri received the lowest number of votes approving his appointment in comparison to his former nominations. Neither of the two main Christian parties of the country, Samir Geagea’s Lebanese Forces and their rivals President Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), nominated Hariri.

Hariri received 64 votes for his nomination, while 55 members did not name anyone at the consultations in the presidential palace in Baabda. Hariri’s nomination was primarily pushed for by his own party Future Movement, the speaker of the parliaments’ Amal Movement, and Sleiman Frangieh’s parliamentary bloc.

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