Aoun to call for PM consultations Thursday or Friday

President Michel Aoun intends to call for the binding parliamentary consultations to name a new premier on Thursday or Friday while the consultations will be held next week, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The President will call for the consultations after “completing the deliberations that he is conducting away from the spotlight with a number of political leaders and forces,” the daily added.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati is “the only candidate for forming the new government until the moment,” informed sources told the newspaper.

“The designation process is not related to any other file at all, and it is a juncture that will take place on its own, away from prior agreements, guarantees or other issues that are related to (government’s) formation as being published and reported in some media outlets,” the sources added.

As for the new government’s shape, the sources said that Miqati, should he be re-appointed, would work on forming “a government that is similar to the current one,” while noting that he might not succeed in this mission.