Mashnouq: Premature Battle for Presidency Delaying Cabinet Lineup

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Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said the major flaw delaying the formation of Lebanon’s Cabinet is because the “battle for the presidency has begun way too soon,” the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported on Friday.

He said the “ambitions for political heredity have engaged the country into a clash. The main reason delaying the Cabinet formation is because the battle for the presidential post has prematurely begun,” he told the daily in an interview.

Media reports believe that Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, President Michel Aoun’s son-in-law, has aspirations for the future presidential post when the term of his father-in-law ends.

The Free Patriotic Movement, led by Bassil, has reportedly rejected the Cabinet shares demanded by the Lebanese Forces and Progressive Socialist party which has so far delayed the formation.

“The approach of forming the new Lebanese government through numbers is wrong,” added Mashnouq. He was referring to wrangling between political parties over Cabinet quotas.

On his latest visit to Saudi Arabia, the Minister said “it was a successful political visit. I noticed through the discussions that there is a decision to deal with the official Lebanese government that will be formed. Preparations are underway for the signing of economic, financial and trade treaties between the two countries.

“They are waiting for the formation of the government to revive the Higher Ministerial Committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from the Saudi side, and the Prime Minister from the Lebanese side.”

SourceNaharnet