The head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil, stated on Tuesday that his party is now "in opposition," claiming that the composition of the new Nawaf Salam government, from which he was excluded, is "arbitrary and unfair."

"We could not accept the arbitrariness that occurred, for someone to designate our representatives, nor the poor Christian representation," Bassil told the press. "We oppose this arbitrary and unjust government composition. Whether we were excluded from the government or excluded ourselves, whether because they did not accept our conditions or we did not accept their arbitrary conditions, the result is the same: We are outside the government, and we, as the Free Patriotic Movement, form the opposition to this government."

The FPM leader stated that his opposition would be "positive, constructive, and targeted" and said he would wait to see the ministerial declaration that the ministerial commission, formed Tuesday, is to draft.

"We will judge during the confidence session," he added.

Chosen in January to form a government following the election of Joseph Aoun as president, Nawaf Salam managed on Saturday to form a government. The FPM and the Marada Movement were both excluded from the government, apparently aiming to minimize the influence of Hezbollah within the government. The first Cabinet meeting was held Tuesday in Baabda. During this meeting, the commission tasked with drafting the new team's ministerial declaration was formed and met in the afternoon. A second meeting is scheduled for Thursday.

Reflecting on the discussions with Salam before announcing the new government composition, Bassil said communication was "friendly and positive."

"During the consultations conducted by the prime minister for forming the government, I had three meetings with him that I would describe as positive and fruitful, and we addressed portfolios and names, but it suddenly stopped from the prime minister's side, eleven days before forming the government," he said.

"We faced difficult circumstances, and despite that, we put in place many plans and executed projects, but we paid the price to maintain national unity and avoid dragging the country into a civil war."

Bassil began his speech on Tuesday by congratulating the Lebanese and the new ministers "among whom there are, of course, many friends."

"Having a complete government, despite all our objections to it, is better than having a caretaker government for over two and a half years," he said. "We hope the circumstances will help them as long as the embargo and blockade on Lebanon are lifted, and the available international aid enables them to accomplish what is necessary."

The weakening of Hezbollah, a former ally of the FPM, allowed Aoun, considered Washington's preferred candidate, to be elected president, and the appointment of Salam as prime minister. Formed on Saturday, Salam's government will notably face the daunting task of implementing the necessary reforms to unlock billions of dollars from international donors, overseeing a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, and rebuilding the country.