Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati (left), speaking with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh on Nov. 29, 2021. (Credit: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament)
BEIRUT — Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday, reportedly to discuss the formation of a new cabinet.
Here’s what we know:
• At the end of the meeting, Mikati left Ain al-Tineh without making any statement to the press.
• Mikati, whose ministerial team has been managing day-to-day affairs since May 22, appears to be under pressure from all sides to form a cabinet with full powers before the end of President Michel Aoun's term in office on Oct. 31.
• According to information obtained by L'Orient-Le Jour, Aoun has shown himself to be open to the idea of maintaining a cabinet of 24 ministers, whereas he had previously called for the addition of six ministers, for a total of 30 ministers.