Cabinet Voting or Consensus on Administrative Appointments
Premier Fouad Saniora hoped on Tuesday that the cabinet would either vote on the appointment of governors or resort to consensus.
"Maybe we vote on it and maybe we succeed by consensus," Saniora told reporters after meeting President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace.
He said the appointments of governors would be on Wednesday”s cabinet agenda. "As for the Constitutional Council, consultations continue and we hope for the best."
Asked how elections would be held without administrative appointments, Saniora said: "There is no doubt that making the appointments is much better. And we will try that whether for the governors or for the members of the Constitutional Council."
"We will do everything we can so that there is no obstruction," Saniora told reporters. "It is very useful to alleviate political rhetoric … and stay away from personal attacks and accusations of treason."
Controversy over the appointments to the Constitutional Council was reportedly nearing an end.
The daily As Safir on Tuesday said the opposition has made up its mind with regards to two or five members yet to be elected.
They are former cabinet minister Assaad Diab, a Shiite, and Greek Orthodox judge Salah Mukhaiber.
Suleiman, according to As Safir, has recommended Raymond Eid, a Maronite, while Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat is likely to name Druze candidate Suheil Abdel Samad.
It said the Sunni member was left for Saniora to decide.
Parliament last December elected five members to the Constitutional Council and was yet to elect five others, allowing the highest court to be operational prior to the forthcoming elections.
The Constitutional Council is the only body that has the power to look into complaints related to election fraud and challenging results.