Former PM Saad Hariri resigned a year ago in response to the eruption of the October 17 protests, only to make a not-very-shocking comeback exactly a year later.
Having served as prime minister twice before, a slim-faced Hariri is set to smoothly be designated as the new premier to form the next anticipated Lebanese government.
Despite strong opposition from the Free Patriotic Movement and Lebanese Forces, Hariri is now expected to gain the support of the parliament majority during binding consultations this Thursday.
In addition, the Lebanese Presidency assures that there will be no last-minute cancellations this time, after last week’s incident – which reportedly infuriated French President Macron who called on the Lebanese leaders to stop paralyzing the formation of a government.
Despite the fact that Hariri was part of the ruling body that led the country to its ongoing crises, he is now somehow considered Lebanon’s only shot at making the French initiative work and rid Lebanon of its crises.
However, the next step after his designation won’t be easy. Hariri will be tasked with forming a government of nonpartisan specialists who could implement reforms needed to gain international support.
He could face the same troubles as PM-designate Mustapha Adib before him, who resigned amid deadlock over forming a Cabinet of independent specialists.
The designation, if achieved, will mark Hariri’s fourth time as PM, as the political scene in Lebanon seems to be stuck in a time loop, unable of breaking out of the cycle of repetition.
