Salam Holds onto Cabinet Formation after Dropping Election Bid
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam will seek to form a cabinet whether the current parliament's tenure was extended or the parliamentary elections took place.
According to An Nahar newspaper published on Tuesday, Salam didn't submit his electoral candidacy because he is committed to the formation of a cabinet capable of overseeing the polls.
The newspaper said that the formation process will kick off shortly after Speaker Nabih Berri calls for a parliamentary session to vote on the extension of the legislature's mandate.
Salam has repeatedly said that he is seeking the formation of a government capable of staging the parliamentary elections that are set for June 16.
He is holding onto the 24-member cabinet as it creates balance between the rivals and achieves the required balance between the political powers in the country.
Salam is seeking the formation of a 24-member cabinet in which the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance, the March 14 coalition and the centrists would each get 8 ministers.
28 May 2013, 13:14
11
Phoenix, while I agree with some of your statements, I think you're over-estimating the ease with which a government can be formed. I think Salam wants to ease the tension in the country, and being a centrist he is well positioned to do so, as opposed to a Mikati or a Rifi/Hariri, considered to be confrontational by M14 and M8 respectively. The problem is, there were clear hints in Nasrallah's recent speeches that he will not allow the unilateral formation of a government. While Nasrallah should not have the authority to allow or not allow this or that government, he effectively does have this authority by virtue of his weapons. Had Salam unilaterally formed a government, it would have caused a reaction across Lebanon from M8 and Syrian sympathizers that would make the fighting in Tripoli look like a piece of cake. Unfortunately the country is held hostage by HA's weapons, and the hostage taker is threatening to kill the hostages if his demands are not met. What do you do?
28 May 2013, 13:28
11
Phoenix, while I agree with some of your statements, I think you're over-estimating the ease with which a government can be formed. I think Salam wants to ease the tension in the country, and being a centrist he is well positioned to do so, as opposed to a Mikati or a Rifi/Hariri, considered to be confrontational by M14 and M8 respectively. The problem is, there were clear hints in Nasrallah's recent speeches that he will not allow the unilateral formation of a government. While Nasrallah should not have the authority to allow or not allow this or that government, he effectively does have this authority by virtue of his weapons. Had Salam unilaterally formed a government, it would have caused a reaction across Lebanon from M8 and Syrian sympathizers that would make the fighting in Tripoli look like a piece of cake. Unfortunately the country is held hostage by HA's weapons, and the hostage taker is threatening to kill the hostages if his demands are not met. What do you do?
