Baarini will support either a government representing all parties or pure technocrats

Sunni MP Walid Baarini stated on Wednesday that there must be a decision between "the formation of a government of political parties or a government of pure technocrats," as the announcement of the future ministerial team of the designated Prime Minister Nawaf Salam approaches.

The member of the National Moderation bloc, mainly composed of former Hariri Sunni MPs, wrote on X, "Either all political forces are represented within the government according to precise criteria, or we all withdraw and the designated Prime Minister forms a government of pure technocrats, with no ties to the political forces. We will be the first to grant him our confidence," he added.

According to information from L'Orient-Le Jour, Salam, a former judge at the International Court of Justice, submitted an initial distribution of portfolios among parties and sectarian groups to the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, on Monday, without mentioning names. While ensuring that "the governmental process is on the right track," the former diplomat clarified that he was acting "per the provisions of the Constitution" and made it known that he had no intention of marginalizing any political component.

The National Moderation bloc caused a surprise by being among the 84 MPs who supported Nawaf Salam during the binding parliamentary consultations on Jan. 13, when everyone expected the reappointment of his predecessor, Najib Mikati, as Prime Minister.

Last week, Baarini demanded the Ministry of Interior, Social Affairs, and Public Works, which are generally reserved for the Sunni community in the distribution of so-called sovereign ministries. "If Mr. Salam does not respond to our request, we may deprive him of our parliamentary confidence," he threatened.