Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced on Sunday the formation of a 30-member national accord government, nearly two months after the election of President Michel Aoun.
Cabinet Secretary-General Fouad Flayfel announced the formation decrees and revealed the lineup for the new Cabinet.
Following the announcement, Hariri held a news conference announcing that the Cabinet’s main task would be formulating a new electoral law, overseeing parliamentary polls and preserving Lebanon’s security.
“The first task of this government will be, in cooperation with Parliament, to reach a new electoral law that takes into account proportional representation and proper representation, to organize parliamentary elections on time in the middle of next year. In this sense, this government can be considered an elections government,” Hariri said.
Among the main cabinet posts, Gebran Bassil, the head of President Aoun’s FPM (Free Patriotic Movement), stays on as foreign minister, while Ali Hassan Khalil, a member of Amal movement remains finance minister. Hussein Hajj Hasan, member of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc, also remains industry minister.
Nouhad Machnouk, a member of Hariri’s Future Movement, retains his post as interior minister. The new defense minister Yacoub al-Sarraf is a political ally of President Aoun. The other important post, energy and water minister, went to Cesar Abou Khalil.
Hariri headed to the Baabda Palace Sunday evening to meet with Aoun, where they were later joined by Speaker Nabih Berri. The cabinet was announced shortly after this meeting.
President Aoun was elected president by members of parliament in October 31, after more than two years of presidential vacuum.
Source: Agencies
