The withdrawal of the candidacy of Prime Minister designate Saad Hariri now seems to be more and more likely as political parties are already starting to mark their respective positions with a view to appointing his successor.
For now, only the Stream of the Future has indicated that it will refrain from appointing anyone to resume efforts to appoint a new tenant of the Grand Seraglio, vacant since the resignation of the Hassan Diab government on August 10.
Saad Hariri’s candidacy now seems to depend both on the goodwill of the Free Patriotic Current, its main Christian adversary, but also on Hezbollah’s efforts to find an increasingly uncertain compromise.
Side of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Nabih Berri persists in wanting to maintain the candidacy of Saad Hariri with a government of 24 members whose portfolios would be distributed by thirds, which is contrary to the national pact underlines the presidency of the republic.
Saad Hariri would have already confirmed his withdrawal during a meeting on Zoom with the former prime ministers Fouad Saniora, Nagib Mikati and Tamam Salam, indicate some sources who accuse both the presidency of the republic, General Michel Aoun and the leader of the Courant Patriotic Libre Gébran Bassil to be at the origin of the impasse.
This information comes as Patriarch Béchara Boutros Rahi went to the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, believing that the latter is trying to protect Lebanon “even if everyone violates the Lebanese constitution”.
Still, he called for Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to be able to form a government described as necessary as Lebanon collapses.
In addition, the French and American ambassadors, Anne Grillo and Dorothy Shea respectively, are expected in Saudi Arabia to discuss the Lebanese situation. The aim would be to underline the gravity of the current circumstances and to be able to continue supporting the Lebanese army and the internal security forces in fear of destabilizing the Land of the Cedars. As such, outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab believes that he should intervene in the coming days.
