Salam Calls on Political Foes to Facilitate Formation of Cabinet

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam said on Wednesday that all parties should exert efforts to facilitate the formation of his cabinet.

“The delay in the formation is caused by the constitutional challenge,” Salam's visitors quoted him as saying.

They pointed out that Salam is keen to form a cabinet the represents the nation's best interest and has the consent of the rival parties.

Salam also warned that the economic situation has reached “alarming levels.”

The PM-designate's efforts to form a new government came to a halt in recent weeks in light of the dispute over the extension of parliament's mandate and the political powers' failure to reach an agreement over a new parliamentary electoral law.

Salam will launch new consultations with various political powers to garner their views over the new government after the legislature extended its term for 17 months.

The extension decision comes after rival blocs in the legislature failed to agree on a new elections law.

Free Patriotic Movement led by MP Michel Aoun and President Michel Suleiman submitted an appeal to challenge the parliament's decision to extend its mandate.