Press Digest for Thursday December 26, 2013

• New governmental formulas presented, fail to receive support - Sources 

Political sources said that the proposal of a cabinet that includes leading political figures can no longer be applied in Lebanon, since it would be impossible to have as ministers Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Speaker Nabih Berri.

In this context, al-Hayat Daily reported that those who presented the said proposal consider that the Maronites would be represented in such a cabinet by the head of the Kataeb Party Amin Gemayel, the head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun and the leader of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea, while the Sunnis would be represented by the head of the Future bloc Fouad Siniora and Tammam Salam.

The sources added that the Shiites would be represented by Mohammad Raad and a delegate of Speaker Berri, while the head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt would represent the Druze.

On the other hand, well-informed sources said that the 9-9-6 governmental formula was almost implemented in October when it was presented before the March 14 forces, noting that discussions concerning the names of the ministers had started with former PM Saad Hariri.

The sources added that the discussions were interrupted when Nasrallah delivered a speech on the 28th of October, whereby he said that his coalition approved this formula as a sign of “modesty”, and called on the other team not to delay their approval “since March 8 forces may not agree to it in case the situation changes.”