The effort led by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, aimed at securing an understanding on holding a cabinet session to discuss, among others, the agreement to appoint a replacement for the Governor of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salameh, whose fifth extended term ends on the thirty-first of next July, has practically ended.
A few weeks ago, Mikati confided to those close to him his intention to hold a session of the Council of Ministers, entitled making appointments in some of the main vacant positions. It was understood that Mikati specifically aims to appoint a replacement for the governor of the Central Bank exclusively, taking advantage of the position of the “Shiite duo” refusing to let the first (Shiite) deputy ruler replace the actual ruler, and part of the Christian position refusing to keep Salameh in his position, taking advantage of the judicial prosecution of the ruler and the risks of vacancy. In the first financial site.
After that, Mikati began contacts and endeavors in order to secure an understanding about the convening of the session and its agenda. During the contacts he made, directly and indirectly, he intended to pass positions on his rejection of the idea of extending Governor Riad Salameh, which was understood as an attempt to win over the opposition Christian bloc represented by the “Free Patriotic Movement.” “.
Mikati culminated his efforts in a meeting with a group of ministers at the Serail under the title “Holding a session to discuss the issue of the displaced,” in which some of the ministers boycotting the cabinet sessions participated. And the scenarios presented in the event that his term ends, while other information that needs to be checked indicated that Mikati is Fatih Berri in the matter.
As Mikati began his endeavors, he collided with a thick “Shiite” wall and a Christian wall behind which the Maronite Church stood, and the “Free Patriotic Movement” on its side. The first part was represented by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s refusal to appoint a replacement for the Central Governor before completing the presidential elections. The Maronite Church shared his position, in addition to its refusal to appoint him in a session that did not enjoy a Christian consensus. It is understood that Berri and the church aim to leave the privilege of choosing a central governor from the powers of the next president, as it is not permissible to “shackle” the new president with appointments in which he has no opinion or decision, especially since the governor’s position enjoys exceptional immunity.
However, there is another fundamental matter that prompts the President of the Council, along with Hezbollah, to reject the idea of an “appointment session” at its core, represented by their refusal to assume any “transitional” role, even if the role is limited and related to the conduct of the work of the public utility within a limited period.
In addition, Hizbullah views the position of governance as a position highly influenced by Christian influence, and embodies the best expression of the Christian presence within the state. And “Hezbollah”, which rejects the logic of playing with balances, has explicitly expressed its refusal to “distribute” Christians their powers in what is related to naming the new ruler and the form of his appointment, and it also considers that participation in a session of the Council of Ministers does not have a Christian consensus on appointing a new ruler for the Bank of Lebanon. , he did “of the great sins.”
At this point, efforts to hold a “governmental appointment” session ended, while Mikati’s atmosphere says that he “did what had to be done, and the responsibility fell on others.”
