BICOM

Lebanon has agreed a new government of national unity after nine months of coalition negotiations that began after the 6^th May 2018 elections.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said at a press conference in Beirut: “We are facing economic, financial, social and administrative challenges. It has been a difficult political period, especially after the elections, and we must turn the page and start working.”

He added that the new government would be forced to “take difficult decisions” to reduce spending. Lebanon’s national debt stands at 150 per cent of GDP. The time for “painkillers” was over, he said, adding: “No one can put their head in the sand any more. All the problems are known and the causes of the corruption and waste and administrative deficiency are also known.” He also called for a programme of “bold reforms” without delay.

Hezbollah, whose military wing is considered a terrorist organisation by the UK, emerged stronger from the parliamentary election thanks to gains by its allies. The group won 70 of Parliament’s 128 seats in the election, while Prime Minister Hariri’s bloc lost a third of its seats. The Hezbollah-allied group now holds two ministries and a ministry of state. Jamil Jabak was appointed Minister of Health, which has one of the country’s largest budgets. Analysts see his appointment as signalling Hezbollah’s determination to exercise more direct influence over the government and a greater involvement in public services. Ali Hassan Khalil and Gebran Bassil, political allies of Hezbollah, remain in post as finance and foreign ministers respectively

In a first for Lebanon, the 30-member cabinet includes four women ministers, doubling their representation, including the powerful Ministry of Interior in charge of internal security. Hariri called the new government “a reflection of Lebanon’s image in 2019”.