Lebanon’s Hezbollah Government Will Be Born Soon

Daily Star:

“The birth of the new government is a matter of days, either at the weekend or early next week,” the source told The Daily Star. According to the source, the new government, to be dominated by the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition after the rival March 14 bloc decided to bow out, will have 24 members, mainly politicians and some technocrats.

Here’s what I’m predicting: Mr. Mikati will appoint reputable technocratic Mikati-like figures for sensitive economic portfolios to alleviate the fears of the business community (and the financial markets).

Expect also to see minimal direct Hezbollah representation in the government and the inclusion of women minsters. This will disorient western dilettantes who are expecting to see people with beards as ministers in a “terrorist” government.

Also look out for some sort of grand gesture, an elaborate piece of theater, that the P.M could come up with to demonstrate his independence. This could take the form of a staged public spat with a Hezbollah minster.

But whatever happens, make no mistake about who holds the final say in the next government.