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FPM says matter of granting new cabinet confidence is still open to discussion

FPM says matter of granting new cabinet confidence is still open to discussion

(Credit: Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP)

BEIRUT — The Free Patriotic Movement, founded by President Michel Aoun, on Saturday issued a statement saying the party is waiting for the ministerial declaration of Lebanon’s new cabinet to decide on whether or not to grant it confidence in Parliament.

Here's what we know:

    • The statement issued by the FPM’s political bureau, which is chaired by Aoun’s son-in-law MP Gebran Bassil, reads, “The FPM has fulfilled its national duty in facilitating the birth of the government and it is awaiting the ministerial declaration to determine its position on granting it confidence, which is an issue open to discussion.”

    • In the statement the FPM however also welcomed the formation of a new cabinet, stating that the cabinet “was able to overcome all the accusations, lies and practices that paralyzed the institutions of the mandate for a whole year ….”

    • Sources that spoke to our sister publication L’Orient-Le Jour, however, said that despite Saturday’s statement, the FPM has committed behind the scenes to giving its vote of confidence to the government led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

    • The formation of Mikati’s government was announced on Friday, more than a month after his appointment as premier-designate and exactly 13 months since the resignation of Hassan Diab’s government in the wake of the Beirut port explosion. It comprises 24 ministers, split into three groups of eight aligned respectively with Aoun and affiliated groups, Mikati and Joumblat, and the Shiite political parties — purportedly overcoming the issue of any one camp having a “blocking third” or effective veto power.

BEIRUT — The Free Patriotic Movement, founded by President Michel Aoun, on Saturday issued a statement saying the party is waiting for the ministerial declaration of Lebanon’s new cabinet to decide on whether or not to grant it confidence in Parliament.Here's what we know:    • The statement issued by the FPM’s political bureau, which is chaired by Aoun’s son-in-law MP Gebran...