Report: Aoun Says Hariri Replacement Ready if He Rejects 32-Minister Proposal

President Michel Aoun has said that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri could be replaced by another figure should he reject a proposal to form a 32-minister cabinet as a way out of the Sunni representation dilemma, a media report said.

“President Aoun believes that that the solution to the governmental crisis would be the formation of a 32-minister cabinet by adding a Syriac minister to Aoun’s share and an Alawite seat to Hariri’s share and naming one of the independent Sunnis as part of the PM-designate’s share,” al-Jadeed TV quoted unnamed sources as saying.

“President Aoun’s visitors quoted him as saying that should Hariri reject the 32-minister proposal then his replacement will be ready to be tasked” with forming the new government, the sources added.

The sources said that Aoun’s visitors have also quoted him as saying that he “will give a brief ultimatum to Hariri to declare his stance on the 32-minister proposal or else he will address a letter to Parliament to discuss the governmental situation.”

“Aoun’s visitors said he has the impression that PM-designate Saad Hariri’s several foreign trips suggest that the formation of the government is not a priority to him, knowing that he is readying to begin a European tour on Sunday,” the sources added.