ALBAWABA – Lebanon on the social media has been rife. Top of the list is the formation of the new government now stalled for over a year.
#Lebanon’s year-long political stalemate could be nearing an end, with President #MichelAoun and PM-designate #NajibMikati saying a government could be formed in the next couple of days. https://t.co/m9V5evYbc4
— Forbes Middle East (@Forbes_MENA_) August 16, 2021
President Michael Aoun said that the new premier-designate, the fourth in just under one year, are “within days” of forming a desperately-needed government to deal with the economic crisis that is crippling the country.
Meanwhile
Not to miss in the U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea statement today at Baabda:
1. the call for "an empowered government committed to and able to implement urgently needed reforms."
WHO believes - does she - that Mikati government will respond to this profile? https://t.co/8GAkdCdfh1— Fadi Daou (@fdaoulb) August 16, 2021
, Miqati, and talking from the Baadba Palace and after meeting Aoun said the chances of forming a new government is higher than the chances of its failure and that the chances of him stepping down is very slim.
#Mikati from Baabda: Chance of forming new government higher than chance of failure | https://t.co/SgEytQAqED | #Lebanon
— LBCI Lebanon News EN (@LBCI_News_EN) August 16, 2021
The PM-designate said he is continually meeting with president Aoun about the different names and ministerial portfolios in the government and this is quickly needed to deal with the problems of the country.
- Nasrallah vowed to respond to any airstrikes by Israel, following the scuffle that occurred in the south this past Friday.
— Beirut Today (@bey_today) August 9, 2021
- Government formation stalled as Mikati and Aoun disagree over "key" ministries. Mikati previously expressed that the two were in agreement. pic.twitter.com/PEdTSTpzzm
Lebanon has been under a caretaker Prime Minister since last year. Premier Hassan Diab resigned after the Beirut Port blast on 4 August 2020 when over 215 people were killed and over 7000 injured.