of national unity.
According to early morning media reports Hariri proposed the formula of 16 +10 +4 (16 ministers for the majority , 10 ministers of the opposition and 4 ministers for the President) to his allies before meeting Nasrallah and this was well received by them.
The same reports indicated that Hariri proposed this same formula to Hassan Nasrallah during their meeting last Thursday , but the Hezbollah leader insisted that the opposition wants the obstructing one third ( meaning 11 out of 30 ministers )
The president according to presidential sources wants a different kind of formula. He is proposing 15 +10 +5 (15 ministers for the majority , 10 ministers of the opposition and 5 ministers for the President.
Yesterdays consultations ended with 67 votes in favor of Hariri as the Prime minister designate . This number of votes ( 67/128 ) is already enough to qualify him to be nominated by the president . The consultations are expected to be resumed today and Hariri is expected to many more votes specially from Tripoli's National Accord and independents.
"What is needed in Lebanon is real democracy and not math formulas", Ali Hussein a Lebanese political analyst told Ya Libnan
March 14 won 71 seats out of 128 member parliament , while March 8 won 57 . In any other democracy , the winners would have proceeded to form the government and would have presented it to the parliament for a vote of confidence , but not in Lebanon, where guns are in charge" Hussein said
Hussein added : "As long as a party such as Hezbollah is allowed to keep its arms and as long as this party uses these arms against the citizens of this country , there can be no real democracy in Lebanon" .
Saturday
08:07pm Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri receives congratulatory cables from French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
07:54pm PM-designate Saad Hariri will begin consultations over the formation of the cabinet in the parliament building on Monday
06:34pm As a former PM , MP Aoun will be receiving tomorrow at 12:30 pm in Rabiyah PM designate Hariri for consultations on cabinet formation . Hariri will be meeting with all former PMs before consultations with parliamentary blocs
05:59pm A huge fire erupted in Batroun and the Lebanese army helicopters are trying to extinguish it
05:48 The shows of artist Gad ElMaleh at the Beiteddine festival have been canceled . He was scheduled to perform on July 13-15
4:09pm Hariri visited the graveyard of his father. He was met by former PM Fouad Siniora.
3:50pm Hariri after his appointment: We will start consultations with all parliamentary blocs. We seek to protect the constitution and extend our hand to our partners in the nation. The issue is not only about the formation of the cabinet. It is about the nation’s fate. He vowed to form a homogeneous and consensus government that is able to remain united.
03:41 Fireworks celebrating Future Movement leader Saad Hariri’s appointment to the position of prime minister are heard in Beirut. No injuries reported
3:30pm Hariri urged citizens not to resort to celebratory gunfire.
3:14pm President Michel Suleiman issued a decree designating Saad Hariri Lebanon’s premier designate and tasking him with forming a new cabinet.
2:57pm President Suleiman holds a meeting with Speaker Berri and MP Hariri.
2:55 MP Hariri arrived at Baabda presidential palace to meet President Suleiman.
2:14pm The result of parliamentary consultations 86 MPs nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
2:03pm MP Nayla Tueni nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
1:50pm MP Dori Chamoun left Baabda palace following his meeting with President Michel Suleiman without making any statements to the press, but reportedly nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership
1:39pm MP Ryad Rahal nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
1:30pm MP Robert Fadel nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
1:20pm MP Michel Pharaon nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
1:15pm MP Robert Ghanem nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
1:10pm Military Command called on the public not to respond to phone calls from Israel.
1:04pm MP Butros Harb nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
12:58pm MP Tamam Salam nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership. President Suleiman currently meeting MP Butros Harb.
12:50pm al-Manar TV: Lebanese and Israeli armies are on mutual alert on opposite side of the border close to the Fatima crossing.
12:46pm President Suleiman began his consultations with independent MPs currently meeting with MP Tamam Salam.
12:14pm MP Imad al Hout of the Jamaa Islamia has nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
12:08 Tashnag parliamentary bloc nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
11:55 The Lebanese Harmony parliamentary bloc nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
11:42 The Tripoli Coalition parliamentary bloc nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
11:23 Armenian Consensus parliamentary bloc nominated MP Saad Hariri to the premiership.
11:16 MP Assaad Hardane of the National and Patriotic parliamentary bloc said his bloc did not nominate anyone to the premiership.
10:56 MP Franjieh: Our stance is that of pr
