Naharnet

Bassil calls on Mikati to quit, Hezbollah to boycott govt. meetings

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has called on caretaker PM and PM-designate Najib Mikati to "step down so that the president can call for immediate parliamentary consultations that lead to designating someone else" to form a new government.

In remarks to al-Akhbar newspaper published Saturday, Bassil said that when presidential vacuum begins, Mikati's caretaker cabinet will "lack legitimacy, conformity to the (National) Pact and Christian and parliamentary confidence."

"It will be boycotted by most of its ministers," Bassil added.

Hezbollah meanwhile told Mikati that its two ministers "will not take part in any cabinet session that he would call for during presidential vacuum, in soldiarity with the ministers of the president and the FPM," al-Akhbar said.

The ministers loyal to the president, the FPM, the Tashnag Party and ex-MP Talal Arslan meanwhile held a meeting Friday and agreed to boycott any cabinet session.

Source: Naharnet


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