Karim Souhaid at BDL: No dramatic twist, but a well-orchestrated staging

While the appointment of Karim Souhaid as Central Bank (BDL) governor yesterday at the cabinet session was far from a surprise, this highly anticipated session — like the behind-the-scenes campaign saga that preceded it in recent weeks — witnessed unforeseen developments.The wealth and asset manager, backed by the president from the outset, cannot claim to be appointed via a consensus, as some ministers were still hoping for a few hours before the session. However, the verdict was clear: 17 of 24 votes — one more than the majority required. The votes were cast by a show of hands and only the favorable ones were counted.This implies that seven abstained. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the ministers of economy, social affairs and education Amer Bsat, Hanine Sayed, and Rima Karameh, respectively, along with other key figures close to Salam,...