Efforts to Find a Common Ground for New Cabinet Amid Reports about 15-10-5 Formula
Amid ongoing consultations to form a new Lebanese cabinet, the formula that will most likely be adopted is a 30-member government in which the majority would get 15 seats, the opposition 10 and the president 5.
Political sources following up formation of the cabinet told An Nahar newspaper that it is too early to discuss about contacts aimed at finding a solution because a common ground hasn”t been found yet.
However, an opposition source told the newspaper that the government could be born in the next few weeks.
Beirut dailies said Thursday that the 15-10-5 formula would give the pro-government forces the majority and not monopoly. The opposition wouldn”t be given veto power and the president would get a minister from the March 8 forces and another from the March 14 coalition, in addition to three loyal to him.
Premier-designate Saad Hariri”s sources, however, refused to disclose which formulas are being discussed, saying things are going in the right direction and it is too early to talk about obstacles.
An Nahar said that the opposition seeks to get an essential ministry and Hizbullah and Amal do not mind keeping the foreign ministry with them because it is obvious that the interior and defense ministries will remain with the president while the finance portfolio would go to the majority.