government

Lebanon: A State of Insecurity? Where Exactly?

The ostrich policy: look away and pretend that security is under control. For the past few weeks, in a scattered yet synchronized manner, acts of delinquency have been multiplying in certain neighborhoods of Beirut. Of course, there’s no proof that these incidents are coordinated. However, in Lebanon, there’s always a “but!” The profile ...

To What Extent Does Nawaf Salam Adopt a Common Criteria?

A quick assessment of the current situation shows that among the majority of MPs who nominated Nawaf Salam to form the new government, only a few remain satisfied with the prime minister-designate’s performance. So far, Salam has managed to infuriate most of those who were on his side, while satisfying his opponents, particularly Amal and ...

Government Lineup Nears Completion Amid Political Tensions and External Pressure

After 22 days of intense negotiations, Judge Nawaf Salam’s efforts to form Lebanon’s new government, following his designation on January 13, are entering their final stages. Despite political challenges and conflicting demands from various factions, the announcement of the first government under General Joseph Aoun’s reformist mandate is ...

Taif Agreement Carries No Provision of Monopoly on Ministerial Portfolios

For some in Lebanon, everything takes precedence over the law and the Constitution. Terms such as the National Pact, consensus, custom or even the “minutes of the Taif Agreement” are frequently misused to justify allocating the Ministry of Finance to the Shiite duo Amal-Hezbollah. This is not the first time the minutes of the Taif Agreement ...

A New Triptych of Reforms in Sight

The Lebanese people are eagerly awaiting the formation of the first ministerial team of President Joseph Aoun’s mandate. As French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized during his recent visit to Beirut, the government’s composition must reflect “the momentum set by President Aoun in his inaugural address on January 9.” In other words, ...

Salam: ‘The Finance Ministry Is Not a Monopoly’

Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam emphasized on Tuesday that the Finance Ministry is “neither a monopoly for one sect nor forbidden to another,” asserting the need to uphold constitutional principles in the government formation process. Speaking to reporters after briefing President Joseph Aoun on his discussions with parliamentarians, he ...

Non-Binding Consultations to Form Government Held in Berri’s Absence

Wednesday’s non-binding parliamentary consultations began with the notable absence of Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, who was expected to meet with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam before the beginning of discussions with MPs. Instead, consultations were launched by Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, who commended Salam’s ...

What Form of Government for Nawaf Salam?

The Lebanese, as well as the international community, notably the five nations making up the Quintet Committee (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, France, the United States and Qatar), are closely monitoring the formation of a government to be led by Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam. Informed political sources maintain that the government’s formation is ...

Opposition MPs to Nominate Fouad Makhzoumi to Form Next Government

Opposition MPs announced Saturday evening their decision to nominate MP Fouad Makhzoumi to form the next government at the binding parliamentary consultations with President Joseph Aoun scheduled on Monday. “In line with the new phase in Lebanon, launched by the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, in his swearing-in speech, and in ...

Choueifat Municipality: Dumping Rubble at Costa Brava Requires Environmental Impact Study

In a press release issued on Monday, the municipality of Choueifat expressed its reservations about the Cabinet's decision to dump war rubble at the Costa Brava landfill site, stressing “the need for the state, the government and all parties concerned to respect international environmental standards and all conventions in force”. The ...

The Issue of Enforced Disappearances on the Council of Ministers' Agenda

Both issues of people reported missing during the war and Lebanese detainees in Syria will be on the agenda of the next government meeting. No date has yet been set for the meeting, which is due to take place next week, but a 35-point agenda has already been distributed to the ministers. The agenda includes two items related to the issue of ...

Syria: Mohammed al-Bashir Appointed Head of Transitional Government

The Syrian rebels now in power in Damascus have appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as head of a transitional government that will be in place until March 1, state media said Tuesday. "The general command has tasked us with running the transitional government until March 1," said a statement attributed to Bashir on state television's ...