Saad Hariri reportedly returned to Lebanon on Sunday and is expected to meet with chamber president Nabih Berri soon for a crucial meeting. As a result, he could decide either to withdraw or to try to continue the formation of a new government while the initiative of Nabih Berri seems to have been rejected.
The main Christian parties and even the Maronite patriarchate thus consider that the proposal of the president of the chamber resulted in the establishment of new criteria with a distribution by thirds between Christian community, Shiite and Sunni contrary to the national pact and its distribution equally between Muslim and Christian community.
This training also seems to have been complicated by the refusal of the Christian parties to participate since the former allies of the current of the future such as the Lebanese Forces in the Free Patriotic Current. Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri now seems to be supported in his approach only by the Amal movement and the PSP of Walid Joumblatt, even if Hezbollah also seems inclined to keep him as president of the council of ministers.
This return comes at a time when the social and economic situation could worsen further with the imminent end of the subsidy program and its replacement by a rationing program due to the lack of available monetary reserves of the Bank of Lebanon. This end should however be characterized by shortages and significant price increases, while the reforms demanded by the international community cannot materialize for the time being due to lack of a functional cabinet.
As a reminder, the Hassan Diab government resigned about 11 months ago following the explosion in the port of Beirut. He has not been able to manage only the day-to-day business since.
The political situation could be further complicated by the upcoming indictment of relatives of the president of the chamber of deputies including the former finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi Zoater but also of relatives of the prime minister designated as the former minister of the interior Nouhad Machnouk.