BEIRUT – “The government will be considered resigned with the start of the [new] Parliament’s mandate [Sunday],” the office of President Michel Aoun announced in a statement Saturday.
Here’s what we know:
• “In accordance with Item 1 of Article 69 of the Constitution, related to the cases during which the government will be considered resigned, specifically sub-item ‘e’, and considering that the beginning of the term of the Parliament falls on [Sunday], the president thanks the prime minister and the ministers and asks that the cabinet continue in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed,” the presidency’s statement read.
• On Friday, Mikati’s cabinet held its last meeting during which it agreed to increase telecom tariffs and approved the government’s economic rescue plan. Under caretaker status the government is mainly tasked with “routine daily decisions that the ministerial offices prepare and the relevant minister merely signs after review.”
• The date of the first meeting of the new Parliament has not yet been announced.