Lebanon Forms 30-Member Govt.: Kataeb Stays Out as Five New Portfolios Created
The line-up of a 30-minister cabinet was announced on Sunday at the Baabda Palace, bringing together most of the political spectrum except for the Kataeb Party that refused to be represented by a state minister.
New portfolios include an anti-corruption post and, for the first time, a minister of state for women.
“This is a national unity government... and it will immediately start to address as much issues as it can during its term that will not exceed a few months, topped by the problems of waste, electricity and water,” said Prime Minister Saad Hariri in a speech at the Baabda Palace after the line-up was declared.
“Politically, the first mission of this government, in cooperation with the parliament, will be to reach a new electoral law that takes proportional representation and correct representation into consideration, so that the parliamentary polls can be organized on time,” Hariri added.
“Accordingly, this government can be considered an elections government,” the PM went on to say.
Hariri was nominated to form the government on November 3.
Below is the cabinet line-up as announced by the secretary-general of the council of ministers:
- Ghassan Hasbani (Deputy PM and Health Minister, Lebanese Forces)
- Melhem Riachi (Information Minister, LF)
- Pierre Bou Assi (Social Affairs Minister, LF)
- Marwan Hamadeh (Education Minister, Progressive Socialist Party)
- Ayman Shqeir (State Minister for Human Rights, PSP)
- Talal Arslan (Minister of the Displaced, part of PSP's share)
- Ghazi Zoaiter (Agriculture Minister, AMAL Movement)
- Ali Hassan Khalil (Finance Minister, AMAL Movement)
- Michel Pharaon (State Minister for Planning Affairs)
- Ali Qansou (State Minister for Parliament Affairs, Syrian Social Nationalist Party)
- Mohammed Fneish (Sport and Youth Minister, Hizbullah)
- Hussein al-Hajj Hassan (Industry Minister, Hizbullah)
- Jean Oghassabian (State Minister for Women's Affairs, al-Mustaqbal Movement)
- Nouhad al-Mashnouq (Interior Minister, Mustaqbal)
- Mohammed Kabbara (Labor Minister, Mustaqbal)
- Jamal al-Jarrah (Telecommunications Minister, Mustaqbal)
- Moein al-Merehbi (State Minister for Refugee Affairs, Mustaqbal)
- Ghattas Khoury (Culture Minister, Mustaqbal)
- Yaaqoub al-Sarraf (Defense Minister, loyal to President Michel Aoun)
- Salim Jreissati (Justice Minister, loyal to President Michel Aoun)
- Jebran Bassil (Foreign Minister, Free Patriotic Movement)
- Pierre Raffoul (State Minister for Presidency Affairs, FPM)
- Cesar Abi Khalil (Energy and Water Minister, FPM)
- Nicola Tueni (State Minister for Combating Corruption)
- Tareq al-Khatib (Environment Minister)
- Enaya Ezzeddine (State Minister for Administrative Development)
- Youssef Finianos (Public Works and Transport Minister, Marada Movement)
- Raed Khoury (Economy Minister)
- Ouadis Kedenian (Tourism Minister)
The announcement followed a meeting at the Baabda Palace between President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
The Kataeb Party refused to take part in the cabinet after it was offered a state minister post, media reports said.
Kataeb chief "Sami Gemayel believes that what was offered to Kataeb was aimed at excluding it from the cabinet," LBCI television reported.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/222334 |