Geagea Calls For a 'Neutral' Cabinet
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea reiterated calls to form a “neutral” cabinet to supervise the upcoming parliamentary elections, and to choose a new premier who is not a candidate for the polls, the As-Safir daily reported on Saturday.
“Holding the parliamentary elections is a prime target even if technical reasons led to some delay. We want a cabinet of elections, and it cannot be but a neutral one that includes technocrat ministers specialized in addressing the economic and living situation,” said Geagea in an interview with the daily.
On choosing a new prime minister, the LF leader said: “We are looking for an impartial prime minister not a candidate for the elections. That’s why consultations are necessary among factions of the March 14 alliance mainly during this phase.”
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 conflicting stances that are likely to worsen the country’s political crisis.
Former PM Najib Miqati resigned last week hours after the country’s president suspended cabinet sessions for failing to pass a decision on the formation of an elections committee to supervise the upcoming parliamentary polls.
March 14 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, according to reports.
But March 14 sources ruled out bringing back Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati back to power to head a neutral cabinet.
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