Will appointments pass in the Military Council?

Sources suggest that attention in the coming days will turn to communications with the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, who refuses any appointments by the caretaker government.

This article was originally published in, translated from the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar.

The sources told Al-Akhbar that it is likely that Bassil will be more rigid regarding appointments in the Military Council after the extension of the army commander's term, which he considered a "conspiracy" involving everyone against the Free Patriotic Movement.

Notably, the dilemma of appointments in the Military Council, like extending the commander's term, cannot occur in the government separately from Defense Minister Maurice Sleem. 

Otherwise, it will also be subject to challenge. Therefore, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has begun to listen to some political forces advising on the need to reach a mechanism for consensus with the Defense Minister to settle this issue.