Parliamentary consultations open the door to new political alignments
It is expected that a picture of the directions of the parliamentary blocs regarding the issue of assignment will crystallize by Monday morning in light of the communications and consultations that have begun to accomplish this entitlement.
Al-Akhbar wrote: Signs of division have emerged over the person who will take over the government in the next phase, knowing that agreeing on a president will be the first test of the new era, and how the political forces will deal with him and the new phase, which the President of the Republic said “has begun now.”
In the past hours, there was nothing to suggest that there were intensive communications between the parliamentary blocs to consult on the name. The engines seemed to be somewhat slow, as if some were still in the “celebration” phase. While several data indicate that the “cut off” in naming the next prime minister will pass smoothly provided by external pressures, as happened with the issue of the presidency, political circles have agreed upon a scenario that would lead to the confirmation of President Mikati to take over the task until the next parliamentary elections in May 2026. The data indicated that “ The idea is part of the deal that brought General Aoun to Baabda, and it was one of the ideas discussed with the duo of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, which tends to remain… Mikati is in the government at the current stage.”
Al-Akhbar added that the Marada Movement, the Socialist Party, and the Moderation Bloc support Mikati’s survival, while the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Phalange Party, and the Change Representatives all refuse to name him. Consultations have begun within the blocs regarding the name of their candidate to head the government.
Yesterday, information was spread stating that the commander of the “Forces,” Samir Geagea, “proposed Representative Ashraf Rifi as a candidate for prime minister,” noting that Representative Fouad Makhzoumi is one of the options that Geagea puts on the table, but he leans toward Rifi, who “stood by his side at all stations.” . While Makhzoumi is ahead of Rifi among the rest of the opposition forces, with the exception of some who have not decided, such as MPs: Osama Saad, Halima Kaqour, and Cynthia Zarazir, it can be said that he is guaranteed about 33 votes, and he may get a larger number if Saudi Arabia intervenes to support him.
Informed sources revealed that “Makhzoumi is trying to persuade the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, to a government deal in exchange for his nomination, but the latter has not decided yet, knowing that Bassil does not support Mikati’s stay at all, and he had previously thought about Makhzoumi during the term of former President Michel Aoun.” Basil’s position will be linked to the movement’s position on dealing with the new era, as a climate prevails within the movement of working from the position of opposition.
The absence of names previously presented as confrontation options was notable. Among them is Judge Nawaf Salam, or President Fouad Siniora, whose names were mentioned by some external parties before the presidential agreement, especially when these countries were dealing with Lebanon as a country without Hezbollah. Then, this position quickly declined, amid information that spoke of a tendency among the “Committee of Five Nations,” especially the Americans, not to go too far in the battle, and what was reflected in words from Western and Arab diplomats and officials was to be aware of this idea and the necessity of being convinced of the inability of anyone to rule the country. In isolation from the Shiite duo.
An-Nahar wrote: The initial indicators of the confrontation over the entitlement to the appointment coincided with the first early measure announced by the Presidency of the Republic after President Aoun assumed his duties by setting next Monday as the date for the binding parliamentary consultations schedule to appoint the new Prime Minister. As the signs of the Shiite duo’s commitment, initially and perhaps others, to reassigning President Najib Mikati to form the first government of the new era, began to echo, on the other hand, the echoes of the rush of the previous opposition and the modern loyalists that formed the majority that elected President Joseph Aoun by changing the prime minister rose, and the first initiator of that was the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir. Geagea, who on Thursday evening, and hours after Aoun elected both representatives, Major General Ashraf Rifi and Fouad Makhzoumi, to take over the task of forming the government. This was followed by MP Rifi announcing yesterday that he is a candidate to head the government in the next stage, considering that Prime Minister Najib Mikati is part of the previous system that everyone rejects. MP Michel Douaihy also considered that the return of Najib Mikati is a coup against the oath of office on the one hand, and against the dreams of the Lebanese people for a better tomorrow on the other hand. Representative Michel Daher announced that he wanted a person to head the government who would reach an understanding with the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, pointing out that he would name whomever the latter was comfortable interacting with. Daher said: We need someone outside the political class, and Joseph Aoun told me that I do not want to come handcuffed to the presidency of the republic, and I congratulate him on that.
Nidaa Al-Watan wrote: Hezbollah began a pre-emptive coup, and communication number one came via Al-Manar TV channel, which reported that the meeting that brought together Aoun with the delegation of the Shiite duo in the period between the two presidential election sessions last Thursday, during which points were confirmed, including: Resolution 1701 has nothing to do with Resolution 1701. 1559. The borders of Resolution 1701 are south of the Litani, not the north as is promoted. Emphasizing the pivotal role of the duo in forming the subsequent government, regardless of its form, technocratic or otherwise.
In parallel, the opposition forces, after completing the first presidency, set out towards a similar achievement in the third presidency. According to Nidaa Al Watan information, these forces are moving on the day of consultations to present a basket of options to those they deem qualified to form the first government of the era to perpetuate the sovereign reality that Lebanon has become. This basket includes the two opposition candidates proposed by the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, namely MPs Fouad Makhzoumi and Ashraf Rifi. The odds also increased to include names including former MP Bahia Hariri, the head of the International Court of Justice, Judge Nawaf Salam, and Dr. Saeb Tammam Salam, the new face in this field. The introduction of the latter’s name comes in a context that surprised his father, President Tammam Salam, knowing that his young son is currently outside Lebanon.
Political contacts have intensified in the past hours between the opposition forces in order to unify the position regarding the entitlement to head the government, at a time when the National Moderation Bloc has begun making contacts with a number of centrist blocs and independents to agree on the name of a candidate. This name will be announced on Sunday evening and will be compatible with the momentum that has emerged. It resulted in the election of a President of the Republic and was consistent with the spirit of the oath of office speech.
Al-Diyar wrote: The wheel of work will begin on Monday with the binding parliamentary consultations to name the prime minister, and according to the information, the assignment will take place on Monday evening, with parliamentary consultations to form the government beginning on Tuesday, in light of the insistence on forming it quickly and within days. The battle for the presidency of the government has opened, and the picture will be decided on Sunday, despite leaks about a Saudi inclination for Mikati’s return.
In the information circulating, the first government of the era will be balanced and include everyone, including Hezbollah, and the ministerial statement will satisfy all forces, but the basic ministries related to finance, energy, communications, defense, foreign affairs, and justice will have the President of the Republic’s fingerprints clearly visible on them, regardless of the sect of ministers and whether he is a minister. The money is Shiite, but with new names and expertise and competencies untainted by corruption, with a tendency to create the Ministry of Design, carry out a comprehensive administrative shake-up, develop laws, and activate the Civil Service Council and oversight institutions. Adopting the principle of efficiency, and knowing that the first achievement of the era will be holding municipal elections in May and forming a committee to approve an election law tailored to the nation and establish a new political life in Lebanon.
Al-Liwaa wrote: What is established is that the nomination is subject to political calculations and understandings, especially since the government’s birth will be rapid, and for a period of time not exceeding one year and three or four months to coincide with the date of holding parliamentary elections.
It is expected that the votes will be close between the potential candidates for the third presidency.
Sources familiar with President Aoun’s priorities told Al-Liwaa: He is focusing on the priority of forming the government so that official work can begin in an integrated manner, so he rushed to set the dates for binding parliamentary consultations one day after his election. The President hopes that the government will be formed within a short period so that the wheel of official work can begin naturally and smoothly, leading after the formation of the government to the regular work of constitutional institutions.
The sources added: The interest in forming a government quickly will not distract the president from monitoring the situation in the south due to the continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. He is following the Israeli withdrawal from the border villages and the deployment of the army there within the deadline specified in the agreement, within sixty days and no more.
In this context, informed sources indicated to Al-Liwaa that the emphasis of the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, before his visitors, on the principle of achieving stability in the south is inseparable from his basic position, which was stated in his swearing-in speech in this area. They pointed out that the second stage in the process of returning the work of institutions is The process of designation and then formation in order to launch this path that serves the new presidential era.
She talked about resuming intensive communications ahead of the binding parliamentary consultations on Monday, in order for this day to pass smoothly and to create a personality that forms a government that keeps pace with the oath speech announced by President Aoun.
She explained that the beginning of the presidential era awaits the assignment, formation, and holding of sessions in which the files of this speech with its comprehensive titles are prepared.
Mikati to Damascus today: A new phase begins in southern Lebanon
