(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The Lebanese Prime Minister has formed a national accord government after the election of a president in October with both events termed as achievements of country’s Hezbollah resistance movement.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Sunday announced the formation of a 30-member national accord government, declaring the cabinet’s main task would be formulating a new electoral law, overseeing parliamentary polls and preserving Lebanon’s security. The government was formed nearly two months after Lebanese legislators elected Michel Aoun as president, ending a 29-month presidential vacuum.
The election of Aoun was a strategic victory for Hezbollah and the eventual formation of the cabinet is considered a significant victory for Hezbollah allies. Aoun was the main presidential candidate supported by two main parties in the March 8 Alliance, that is, Hezbollah and the Christian party known as the Lebanese National Movement.
Hezbollah Red Lines for Cabinet
Before the formation of the new cabinet, Hezbollah had set several red lines for an acceptable cabinet.
The first Hezbollah condition was that the cabinet be one that brings national unity and accord in the country. Hezbollah has been insisting on the formation of a national unity government in which all sides in the country partake in shouldering responsibility at this critical uncture and place Lebanon on the right track for the rise of a competent, resilient and fair state. Speaking in early November, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called on rival Lebanese parties to work together "to build a state." "We should have a positive attitude in the new era," he said adding that, "We want the Cabinet to be formed and [for it to be] productive."
The other condition of Hezbollah was that key sovereign and service ministries should not be handed to ‘The Lebanese Forces’ political party. The sovereign portfolios in Lebanon include the ministries of interior, finance, defense and foreign affairs.
This condition was met and The Lebanese Forces party was not able to attain its demands and also failed to get support from all factions except the March 14 Movement. Meanwhile all the other Lebanese factions and groups have been granted their share on the National Accord Cabinet.
The key sovereign ministries of finance, defense and foreign affairs have been handed to Hezbollah allies. Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil will all keep their respective portfolios. Former Beirut Governor Yaqoub Sarraf will replace Samir Moqbel as defense minister.
Expanded Cabinet
Five new ministerial posts were established for the expanded Cabinet: minister of state for refugee affairs, minister of state for combating corruption, minister of state for presidency affairs, minister of state for women’s affairs and minister of state for human rights.
The Cabinet will be convening for the first time Wednesday with Hariri pledging to work to make the international community "bear its full responsibility" for supporting Lebanon in hosting more than 1 million Syrian refugees.
He also promised to work on solving electricity shortages as well as the country ‘s long-standing rubbish disposal problem, which brought angry demonstrators onto the streets of Beirut last year in rare cross-sectarian anger at the authorities.
Short Lived Cabinet
The new government will have to win a confidence vote in parliament, but with almost all major parties on board it is expected to pass that test easily. The new Lebanese cabinet will only last for five months when the parliamentary elections will be held and after the formation of a new legislature, the cabinet will need to obtain a fresh mandate.
Hezbollah has been calling for a proportional parliamentary electoral law to provide an opportunity for independent candidates to challenge the might of the big parties in parliament a proposal opposed by Hariri’s party.
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