FPM leader Gebran Bassil in Nejmeh Square on June 28, 2022. (Credit: Nabil Ismaïl/Lebanese Parliament)
President Michel Aoun and his son-in-law and Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil appear to be heading to a point of no return with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati.
Yesterday witnessed a new round of squabble between the two sides when Bassil made scathing comments against Mikati — something that could further delay the formation of a new cabinet.
The premier-designate has also taken to the stage, shrugging off any accusations of blocking the creation of a new government.
In a video posted yesterday on his Twitter account, Bassil took a shot at the outgoing head of government, accusing him of not wanting to accomplish his task.
"It is clear that he (Mikati) does not want to form a new cabinet, and he admitted it in front of all the ministers before being appointed,” Bassil said.
“The cabinet cannot be formed between a yacht and a plane, nor between Greece and England, but at the Baabda Palace, between the head of state and the prime minister-designate,” Bassil added in a jab at Mikati’s trip to London over the Eid al-Adha weekend.
The trip was preceded by a phone call between Mikati and Aoun.
According to the FPM leader, the premier-designate believes that it is unnecessary to form a new government given the time remaining for the election of a new president to succeed Aoun whose term ends on Oct. 31.
“In short, they do not want a government that works under this mandate,” Bassil said.
These remarks indicated that the president and his camp are not likely to bend to Mikati’s wishes, even if the president is playing for all he is worth now that his term is coming to an end.
On the other hand, Mikati is holding both the card of forming the government and managing the day-to-day affairs.
It is from this advantageous position that he responded yesterday in a statement to Bassil without naming him, calling on the presidency to work with him to put in place a new team.
He also confirmed media reports that he had requested a meeting with the head of state on July 5, but that the presidential palace had never responded.
Sources close to Mikati say that Bassil’s remarks are a continuation of the FPM’s attack against the premier-designate.
“This is a clear attempt to put the ball back in Mikati’s court, while he has done his duty,” Ali Darwish, a former Tripoli MP close to the head of the government-designate, told L’Orient-Le Jour.
He is referring to the ministerial lineup that the Sunni billionaire handed to the head of state on June 29, which was met with “remarks” from Aoun, according to a source close to the president.
Aoun rejected the list of ministerial names, particularly because Walid Fayad (Greek Orthodox, close to the FPM) would have beeen replaced by the Sunni businessman Walid Sinno.
For his part, Mikati remains, according to his statement, attached to this lineup draft that constitutes “the appropriate framework for negotiations with the president.”
Resignation of FPM ministers?
Bassil’s new diatribe comes at a time when a probable resignation of ministers close to the FMP and Baabda, as a form of pressure, is already being discussed behind the scenes.
“This is one of the options we have. But I think it is still early to play this card,” said a former parliamentarian of the Aounist party.
“Mr. Mikati cannot continue to act like this, especially since he needs us to get the confidence of Parliament,” said May Khoreiche, FPM vice president for political affairs.
Meanwhile, L’Orient-Le Jour learned that efforts are underway to clear the way for a new meeting between Aoun and Mikati to speed up the government formation process.
According to L’Orient-Le Jour political columnist Mounir Rabih, proposals are being discussed behind the scenes.
There has been a proposal to remove the energy portfolio from the presidential camp in exchange of the industry or education ministries — an option rejected by the presidential camp calling to take over the interior portfolio arguing that rotation should apply to the ministries of weight, according to Mounir.
This article was originally published in French with L'Orient-Le Jour. Translation by Sahar Ghoussoub.