Hezbollah a big hurdle to forming government

Iran-backed group will be responsible for the consequences Lebanon will face, says PM

Hariri says Iran-backed group will be responsible for the consequences that the country will face |

Lebanese Prime Ministerdesignate Sa’ad Hariri yesterday blamed the Iranbacked Hezbollah for what he called a “big obstacle” in efforts to form a new government, indicating there could be no solution if it did not back down.

Hezbollah, a heavily armed Shiite group backed by Iran, has been pressing its demand for one Sunni lawmaker allied to it to get a cabinet position, something Hariri has refused.

“The truth is that formation of the government hit a big obstacle,” he told a televised news conference in Beirut, six months after a parliamentary election that triggered complex negotiations to form a government. “The consequences that the country will bear are Hezbollah’s responsibility” if a new government cannot be formed, he added.

A new government must be formed before any moves can be made towards fiscal reforms, which the International Monetary Fund said in June are needed immediately to improve debt sustainability in Lebanon. Reforms would also unlock more than $11 billion of donor funding. Lebanon has the world’s third largest public debt as a proportion of the economy, stagnant growth and what the IMF has said are increasing vulnerabilities in its financial system.

“The economic situation embarrassing,” Hariri said.

Rival parties have jostled over how many cabinet positions each faction should get in the new national unity government, and over the most important jobs.

The cabinet is supposed to reflect both the representation of Lebanon’s main parties and its major religious sects.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah insisted on Saturday is that one of its Sunni allies be given a portfolio in the new cabinet. He indicated Hezbollah would be ready to go back to square one in negotiating a government if necessary.

Hariri said there could be no solution to the impasse as things stood and reiterated that he would not accept Hezbollah’s demand regarding the cabinet portfolio.

“The government is a national, security and social need ...This mission is for me and President (Michel Aoun). I have done everything I can and everyone has to shoulder his responsibilities,” Hariri said.