A prominent Lebanese politician said on Thursday it seemed there would be no “white smoke” soon to signal the formation of a new government, indicating more deadlock after the prime minister-designate presented a draft cabinet line-up.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app
Four months since Lebanon’s last government quit in the wake of the August 4 Beirut port explosion, main parties have been unable to agree on a cabinet even as the country sinks deeper into a crippling financial crisis.
Michel Aoun and Saad al-Hariri meeting on November 7, 2019. (Twitter)
Saad al-Hariri, who was named in October to form the new government, gave President Michel Aoun his cabinet line-up on Wednesday, saying the atmosphere was positive.
Aoun’s office said the two had agreed to try to bridge the gap between their proposals.
Read more:
France’s Macron pushes Lebanon aid meeting with no political progress
Lebanon’s economy has plunged into a ‘deliberate depression’: World Bank
As Lebanon subsidy crunch looms, two UN agencies warn of social catastrophe
“It appears the white smoke over the government will not be released soon as a result of further testing to adopt the best vaccine to deal with the crisis,” Walid Jumblatt, Lebanon’s dominant Druze politician, wrote on Twitter, referring to the traditional signal that a new pope has been chosen.
The financial crisis came to a head last year as the result of decades of corruption and bad governance. Poverty will engulf more than half the population by 2021, the World Bank has warned.
Major decisions have been set to one side amid the political paralysis, notably what to do about subsidies on basic goods including fuel, which are being imported using the central bank’s dwindling foreign currency reserves.
The deadlock has also obstructed a French initiative aimed at addressing the crisis. President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit Lebanon later this month, his third trip since the blast.
A senior political source said most parties were not really satisfied with the line-up presented by Hariri, though their complaints were “limited to a certain portfolio or name”.
“This is not something that could not be overcome.”
Also Read
-
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 ... Middle East -
Lebanon’s Hezbollah sues PM Saad Hariri’s brother Bahaa over Beirut blast accusation
Lebanon’s Hezbollah is suing the estranged brother of the country’s Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri after he accused the militant group of being ... Middle East -
Lebanon’s central bank audit is a mere smoke screen
With nearly $94 billion in debt, Lebanon’s road to recovery is strewn with roadblocks that may be insurmountable. Now, escaping potential widespread ... Middle East -
As Lebanon subsidy crunch looms, two UN agencies warn of social catastrophe
The removal of subsidies in Lebanon without guarantees to protect the vulnerable would amount to a social catastrophe, two UN agencies said on Monday, ... Middle East -
Explosion at Hezbollah base in southern Lebanon: Report
An explosion occurred at a Hezbollah outpost in Jbaa, in the Al Tuffah region in southern Lebanon at 4:04 pm on Monday, according to Al Hadath ... Middle East -
France's Macron: No aid given to Lebanon without a government capable of reform
There will be no international aid to Lebanon unless the country’s politicians form a government to implement reforms, French President Emmanuel ... Middle East -
As Lebanon's central bank audit crumbles, the worst is yet to come
Lebanon’s controversial central bank forensic audit fell apart last week, signaling that the worst may be ahead for the crisis-stricken ... Features -
Lebanon’s economy has plunged into a ‘deliberate depression’: World Bank
Lebanon’s economy is sinking into a “deliberate depression”, the World Bank said Tuesday in a damning report stressing the authorities’ failure to ... Economy -
Lebanon's Central Bank can subsidize basic commodities for two more months
Lebanon’s central bank can only subsidize essential commodities, including fuel, medicine, and flour, for two more months, the bank’s governor said ... Middle East -
France’s Macron pushes Lebanon aid meeting with no political progress
President Emmanuel Macron will seek to revive a French initiative on Lebanon when he hosts an international aid conference on Wednesday, but with the ... Middle East
