Lebanon minister accuses March 8 of trying to weaken Mikati

Caretaker Minister of Education Hassan Mneimneh accused the Hezbollah led March 8 alliance during an interview with Future News television on Saturday of trying to weaken Prime Minister Designate Nagib Mikati with the aim of overpowering him

“March 8 is trying to further weaken Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati within the cabinet so that he will have no power in it,” he said

“They are trying to prevent the giving of a blocking third, even to PM Mikati and President Michel Suleiman,” Mneimneh said

“This confirms that there is an attempt to totally seize control of the government,” he said

The Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah brought down PM Saad Hariri’s government on January 12 over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s ( STL) indictment which is widely expected to implicate Hezbollah members in the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri in 2005 .

Nagib Mikati, who was backed by Hezbollah and its March 8 allies including Jumblatt and Mohammad Safadi, was appointed by president Michel Suleiman as PM-designate to form and head the next cabinet , giving Hezbollah and its allies increased leverage in the country and provoking widespread protests.