Salam's National Interest Government: No Monopoly on Portfolios
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam's priority for a "national interest government" blocks the appointment of ministers who are planning to run in the parliamentary elections and prevents a portfolio from being monopolized by a single sect, officials close to Salam said Sunday.
The officials told An Nahar newspaper that the PM-designate's priority is to set the shape and identity of the new cabinet.
Salam's slogan of national interest is based on the formation of a medium-sized government that excludes electoral candidates, the officials said. They also stressed that the cabinet will include a “mixture of politicians” who will be handed portfolios in a way that prevents a single confession from controlling them.
Salam's difficult job starts on Tuesday when he launches consultations with parliamentary blocs on the shape of the government and the division of portfolios.
Though lawmakers from across the spectrum strongly endorsed Salam - with 124 lawmakers in the 128-seat legislature voting in favor of his nomination – sources have warned that he faces a daunting challenge of cabinet formation.
Deputy Speaker Farid Makari expressed fears in remarks to An Nahar that the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance would put obstacles to his task.
“It would be wise for Salam to be flexible,” he said.
Salam set three priorities immediately after the formation of his government. He said rival parties should agree on a new electoral law, hold the parliamentary polls and control the security situation.
In remarks to An Nahar, he also set the economic, social and financial situation as priorities.
The premier-designate hoped for willingness by all sides to facilitate his task to cobble together the cabinet, the same way they nominated him during the binding consultations with President Michel Suleiman on Friday and Saturday.
"I start from the necessity of taking Lebanon out of divisions and political tensions that were reflected in the security situation," Salam said in his first public statement after being chosen.
The 68-year-old lawmaker and former culture minister is widely seen as a consensus figure but politically leans towards the March 14 alliance.
11 years
I hope so brother .
11 years
Wait to Aoun gets a sniff of the good things this man plans to do, the saboteur is always close
11 years
Ok. give back the Orthodox the foreign ministry. Return us to the days of Fuad Boutros, Elie Salem, and Charles Malek and let us send the days of adnan mansour to the dustbin of history.
11 years
I dont like to increase sectarianism (orthodox law). But since the first 3 sects have permanent representatives, why wouldnt the 4th (orthodox) have a strong permanent portfolio? is it because they dont have arms?, or because they dont produce weapons carrying cheikhs to terrorize the nation?
11 years
No I dont mean that maronites are armed terrorists. Maronites (and otehr christians) resisted agaisnt syrian occupation and without them, christians would have been much weaker. I say kudos to maronites.
I am not taxing Aoun to be sectarian. I just have some misgivings about the law, not about the person.
I am saying that the sunnites got what they want in lebanon (goverment fall) by producing instability (assir et co).
What would non armed sects (orthodox, catholics, other minorites)have to do to have their rights respected? arm themselves? create instability?
11 years
I don't think splitting the Christians into more sects is the answer. The Christians should be represented as a whole, at least until we can get over religion in politics.
11 years
But FlamingTurd it was the army deserter coward who kept whining about the director-general of the General Security Department and promising that he will return this rightful post to the Christians? Of course Hassan told him to zip it, tapped him on the top of the head Benny Hill style and appointed Abbas Ibrahim as we know Hassan only trusts Shiites.
11 years
lolololol
11 years
All the portfolios should be rotated. Safadi, Saniora, and anybody close to the February 14 coalition should not be anywhere near the finance ministry, as it has seen nothing but corruption and embezzlement since they hijacked it the last 20 years. Also change the minister of transportation and the minister of education.
11 years
go and live in Iran or Syria,you idiot .
11 years
and then telecom and energy shouldn't be near FPM either by your logic...
11 years
Finance, Energy, Education, Foreign Minstry ....... and all other misnistries should not belong to any party. Only Technocrats who have a proven recordd of competence and loyalty to the nation (not to a warlord). This is how you undermine the Mafia heads and give rise to the middle class and the poor.
11 years
no disagreement on that--you could probably throw in environment, interior (think Baroud vs Charbel) and health as ones that are likely better led by technocrats.
Wow, r things in Lebanon starting to actually go in the right direction?!?! Hamdillah.