Aoun says efforts are underway to remove obstacles to restarting cabinet meetings

BEIRUT — President Michel Aoun assured Wednesday that “calls are underway to remove the obstacles to the resumption of cabinet meetings.” Cabinet last convened on Oct. 12, but no meeting has been called since due to political conflicts.

Here’s what we know:

    • In a meeting with the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka, Aoun assured that “calls are underway to remove obstacles to the resumption of government meetings,” reiterating that “political parties should not interfere in the work of the judiciary, including the investigation into the explosion at the port of Beirut.” Aoun recalled in this context the need to “respect the principle of separation of powers dictated by the constitution.”

    • Ministers affiliated with the Amal Movement and Hezbollah have warned they will boycott the government until Judge Tarek Bitar, who is leading the investigation into the Aug. 4, 2020 port blast, is dismissed. These two parties accuse him of being “biased” and “politicizing the investigation,” and believe that he is incompetent to prosecute the politicians he has sought to bring in for questioning. The politicians being pursued by the judge are calling for their case to be referred to the Supreme Council — a judicial body set up to try presidents and ministers.

    • Despite the optimistic words of some officials, the Mikati government has still not managed to break the deadlock and no cabinet meeting is likely to take place before the end of the year.

    • Speaking about the 2022 parliamentary elections, the head of state said that “preparations are underway to hold the elections next spring,” according to a statement issued by his press office. It remains unclear whether the president’s remarks refer to the presently scheduled March 27 election date or to his preferred date in May.

    • The Free Patriotic Movement, led by Aoun’s son-in-law Gebran Bassil, filed an appeal on Nov. 17 to the Constitutional Council against the amendments to the electoral law that establish March 27 as the date for the polls and allow for expatriates to cast votes across all 128 parliamentary seat rather than in a dedicated six-seat constituency. The appeal has raised fears of a postponement of the elections. Many Lebanese see next year’s ballot as a first step towards the change they desire in the country.

    • Aoun also assured that Lebanon “is committed to implementing international decisions, including UN Security Council Resolution 1701,” which established a cease-fire after the July 2006 war between Lebanon and Israel. He also welcomed the planned visit to Beirut this month of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

    • Wronecka, for her part, briefed the president on the discussions held at the UN Security Council’s regular meeting on Resolution 1701. The two officials also discussed the political, economic and social situation in the collapsing country.