Report: 32-Seat Govt. Proposal ‘Has Not Been Turned Down’
A suggestion reportedly made by Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil to expand the number of ministerial seats in the new government from 30 to 32, “has not been turned down” by any political party, al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday.
Quoting sources of the Free Patriotic Movement of Bassil who told the daily that “the political parties have requested some time to study the proposal,” noting that no rejections were voiced by any.
“There are several suggestions and a set of ideas that can’t but lead to a solution. No one will lose because the ideas put are in accordance with the adopted standards of representation,” they told the daily on condition of anonymity.
Bassil has reportedly made some suggestions one of which is to increase the number of ministerial seats in the new Cabinet from 30 to 32 in a bid to ease the latest Sunni MPs hurdle.
The last-minute Sunni hurdle emerged when the new government was on the verge of formation on October 29 after the Lebanese Forces accepted the portfolios that were assigned to it.
Hizbullah has insisted that the six Sunni MPs should be given a seat in the government, refraining from providing Hariri with the names of its three Shiite ministers in a bid to press him.
Hariri has rejected the demand, announcing that he’d rather step down than give the aforementioned lawmakers a seat from his own share in the government.
Source: Naharnet
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