Aoun”s Demands in the New Cabinet
Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun has reportedly informed Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri of his right to have five Maronite Cabinet portfolios given that his parliamentary bloc includes 19 Maronite MPs out of 34, nearly two-thirds the number of Maronite lawmakers in Parliament.
The daily As-Safir on Thursday quoted an FPM official as saying that Hariri "expressed understanding for the movement”s legitimate rights."
It said FPM”s demand was conveyed to Hariri through Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil, Aoun”s son-in-law, before the premier-designate left Lebanon Monday evening on a family vacation.
Bassil had informed Hariri that it is the FPM”s rights to have four of six Maronite ministerial seats, provided that the fifth post would go to an Armenian chosen by Tashnag, according to the daily.
It said the other point Bassil raised with Hariri touched on the issue of distribution of portfolios where Aoun”s envoy suggested that if "change" was necessary, then the FPM demands a key portfolio, specifically the interior ministry (in case failure to get the finance ministry), provided that the remaining four posts would be distributed among Aoun”s four Cabinet ministers that would "correspond to their weight."