by the dailystar.com.lb — The rift between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces appeared to have widened over the weekend, with officials from both sides engaging in a backhanded Twitter debate. The issue began with an ambiguous Friday tweet from caretaker Information Minister Melhem Riachi that was interpreted by many to have been directed at caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, who heads the FPM. “A stubborn [person] thought that he can do whatever he wants, get whatever he wants, monopolize everything to him and doesn’t even share bread with his siblings,” the LF politician wrote. His tweet sparked a backlash from some FPM officials, including Bassil. The FPM head seemed to interpret Riachi’s tweet as a continuation of recent accusations by the LF that there have been attempts to isolate the party from major political posts and obstruct its chances of getting key ministries in the upcoming government. “They have started to resort to [claims of] isolation, in order to call for sympathy and make political gains,” Bassil said in a tweet Saturday. Those LF complaints took a new turn after last week’s Parliament session, held to elect a speaker, deputy speaker and other members of the secretariat.

LF MP Fadi Saad, who was running to be one of two Parliament secretaries, reportedly withdrew after he was made aware of alleged attempts to isolate the LF. Former LF MP Antoine Zahra was a secretary in the previous Parliament. But the FPM’s Alain Aoun and Progressive Socialist Party MP Marwan Hamadeh ended up taking the seats in last week’s election. It has also been reported that the LF is asking to head key ministries given that its parliamentary bloc now consists of 15 MPs, a major gain from its eight-seat presence in the previous Parliament. The LF is in particular seeking to retain its control over the deputy prime ministership. But it seems that the FPM is now vying for the post as well. “There is no isolation, everyone should be satisfied with the size of their representation and they will be represented. Their demands, meetings, complaints and nagging will not benefit them,” Bassil added.

Caretaker Justice Minister Salim Jreissati, affiliated to the FPM, was more direct in his tweet. “To the Information Minister [Riachi], with all honesty, search for a stubborn person and you will find him under the ceiling of your house,” he said. But Riachi expressed surprised over the FPM reactions, writing on Twitter Saturday: “It is weird that a tweet that was unrelated [to domestic politics] was interpreted as an domestic [message]. It is really very weird.” The LF and FPM were once foes, but an understanding between LF leader Samir Geagea and FPM founder Michel Aoun brought Lebanon’s two main Christian parties together. Signed in 2016, the agreement paved the way for Aoun to be elected as president later that year. But the relationship between the two has remained rocky over their different approaches to key issues in government, including how to resolve the country’s electricity crisis. This article has been adapted from its original source. The Daily Star

 

New Lebanese Cabinet Likely Before Eid al-Fitr Festivities

by naharnet — The line-up of the new government is likely to be announced on the eve of the Eid al-Fitr holiday or shortly afterwards, a media report said. “The parties’ demands regarding portfolios and shares will not become totally clear before the end of the one-day official consultations that PM-designate Saad Hariri will hold Monday with the parliamentary blocs,” political sources informed on the formation process told al-Hayat daily in remarks published Sunday. “So far, two obstacles have emerged: the dispute between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces over the Christian shares and portfolios, in addition to the one related to Druze representation,” the sources added.

The sources said the Progressive Socialist Party is demanding the allocation of all three Druze seats in a 30-member Cabinet to the PSP in a manner that would keep MP Talal Arslan out of the government. “There are no obstacles regarding the representation of Sunnis and Shiites,” the sources added, noting that Hariri would demand a portfolio for a Shiite figure close to him should Hizbullah and AMAL Movement seek the appointment of March 8 Sunni figures. As for the LF, the sources noted that the party is not insisting on having the deputy premier post. “It is insisting on having a sovereign ministerial portfolio and three other key portfolios after it doubled the size of its parliamentary bloc in the elections,” the sources noted. This article has been adapted from its original source naharnet —