Michel Aoun and Najib Mikati in Baabda, Aug. 24, 2022. Photo taken from the presidency's Twitter account.
Less than a week before the start of the constitutional deadline to elect his successor, President Michel Aoun broke his silence about the debate over the governmental file: A caretaker cabinet cannot assume the powers of the president in case of a vacuum in the presidential seat, he said. Aoun has set his tone, but this time explicitly, which could serve as a warning to Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati amid mounting pressure to form a cabinet two months after his appointment.Maronite League President Khalil Karam, who met with Aoun yesterday, told the press afterward the president stressed the need to form a cabinet “as soon as possible.” “A caretaker cabinet will not be able to fully assume its responsibilities if a new president is not elected, regardless of the reason behind this vacuum,” Aoun was reported to have said. The...
Less than a week before the start of the constitutional deadline to elect his successor, President Michel Aoun broke his silence about the debate over the governmental file: A caretaker cabinet cannot assume the powers of the president in case of a vacuum in the presidential seat, he said. Aoun has set his tone, but this time explicitly, which could serve as a warning to Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati amid mounting pressure to form a cabinet two months after his appointment.Maronite League President Khalil Karam, who met with Aoun yesterday, told the press afterward the president stressed the need to form a cabinet “as soon as possible.” “A caretaker cabinet will not be able to fully assume its responsibilities if a new president is not elected, regardless of the reason behind this vacuum,” Aoun was reported to have said....