Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati has set a 3-week deadline for himself to form a new government, sources told Al-Joumhouria on Tuesday.
During his latest meeting with President Michel Aoun, Mikati submitted a cabinet line-up of 24 ministers, the sources said, noting that the official prefers not to alter the sovereign distribution of portfolios, as long as there is an understanding based on reserving the Finance Ministry for the Shiites.
The sources added that in light of President Aoun’s insistence on his notes that dismissed Mikati‘s line-up, the latter responded in kind and informed the President that he had given himself three weeks and that the task is not likely to take longer than that.
They said that Mikati was not surprised by Aoun’s insistence on his position regarding the Interior and Justice Ministries.
Following the meeting on Monday, Mikati revealed that his next meeting with President Aoun would take place on Thursday, August 5.
He said at the time that his deadline regarding the government formation process was “not open.”
This comes a week after Mikati was appointed to form a new government, following a failed nine-month attempt by ex-PM Saad Hariri.
