Abu Faour Meets Berri, Says Agreement Reached on 'General Formula' of Cabinet

Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour on Monday announced that a progress has been made in the cabinet formation process, revealing that an preliminary agreement has been reached on the “general formula” of the new government.

“As usual, the meeting with Speaker Berri was part of the continuous consultations and coordination between Speaker Berri and National Struggle Front head Walid Jumblat over two issues: the electoral law and the cabinet,” Abu Faour said after talks in Ain al-Tineh.

“There is a preliminary agreement on the general formula ahead of engaging in discussions over the rest of the issues that have to do with the rotation of portfolios and the names of the candidates,” the minister added.

He noted that Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam exerted “major efforts” during the holidays, hoping further efforts will be made after the holidays in order to announce a cabinet line-up in the near future.

Abu Faour said that national consensus must be reached over the new cabinet “by all the parties who have parliamentary representation and political weight.”

Salam is seeking to form what he called a “cabinet of national interest” that comprises no MP hopefuls. Meanwhile, the March 14 forces have been calling for a neutral cabinet, while the March 8 camp has demanded a “political government” and centrist Jumblat has stressed that his bloc will not grant its vote of confidence to a “one-sided cabinet.”