March 14 Pushing for Neutral Cabinet while Hizbullah Sticks to Unity Government

The March 14 opposition alliance is seeking the formation of a neutral cabinet to oversee the elections while the March 8 majority alliance led by Hizbullah is after a national unity government, two stances that are likely to worsen the country’s political crisis.

A high-ranking March 14 official told An Nahar daily published Saturday that the opposition wants a new neutral cabinet capable of supervising the polls that should be held “as soon as possible” if there was a need for a technical postponement.

The official, who was not identified, said the alliance totally rejects the formation of a national unity cabinet along with the postponement of the elections for a long time, which is similar to the extension of the parliament’s term for two years.

The choice of the coalition on the name of the new PM-designate will be known only 24 hours before the date set by President Michel Suleiman for consultations with parliamentary blocs and independent lawmakers on April 5-6, the official said.

But March 14 sources ruled out bringing back Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati back to power to head a neutral cabinet.

Miqati's resignation last Friday prompted calls for the resumption of the national dialogue.

But the official told An Nahar that March 14 rejects attending the all-party talks for the purpose of reaching an agreement on the type of the government, saying only the constitution deals with such a matter.

The conditions set by the opposition along with an attempt by the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance to form a national unity cabinet have left analysts wondering as to what the week after the Easter holiday and the days before the parliamentary consultations will hold.

Hizbullah has demanded the new cabinet to adopt “The people, the Army and the resistance” in its policy statement as had been the case with previous governments.