Hariri Says His Jurisdiction 'Clear', Defends Draft Line-Up as 'Convincing'

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri on Tuesday defended the draft Cabinet line-up he presented Monday to President Michel Aoun as “convincing,” while stressing that his jurisdiction as PM-designate is “clear.”

Reiterating that the format entails “no victors or losers,” Hariri called for “looking at the full half of the cup.”

“If the reservations are negotiable, I'm willing to review them,” the PM-designate added, stressing that “the government will inevitably be formed.”

“Every person has to come off his throne so that we form the government,” Hariri went on to say.

Earlier in the day, the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc criticized Hariri's draft line-up, warning of a perceived attempt to "encroach" on Aoun's powers and "bypass the results of the parliamentary elections."

The Presidency said Monday that Aoun voiced reservations over the line-up based on “the standards that he had announced for the government's format which are necessary to achieve the country's interest.”