MP Aaraji: It is better for Mikati to quit

March 14 MP Assem Aaraji told Voice of Lebanon on Friday that the Hezbollah led March 8 coalition does not want to form a cabinet , adding that if it did, the cabinet would have already been formed.

“It would be better for PM-designate Mikati to give up on cabinet formation.” He stressed

A dispute between FPM leader MP Michel Aoun , Mikati and the president is reportedly delaying cabinet formation.

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

Mikati was appointed in January as the PM designate with the backing of the Hezbollah March 8 alliance and MPs Walid Jumblatt and Mohammad Safadi following the collapse of Hariri’s unity government. March 14 leaders have repeatedly said that intimidation from Hezbollah’s weapons helped secure the parliamentary majority for Mikati’s nomination.

Jumblatt and his PSP parliament members reportedly switched allegiance to Hezbollah’s PM candidate, following threats by Hezbollah.

Jumblatt, Mikati and Safadi were all elected on March 14 electoral tickets during the 2009 parliamentary elections.

Hezbollah is now claiming the parliament majority

March 14 parties have announced that they will not take part in the cabinet Mikati is currently forming, and Hariri vowed to fight the use of non-state weapons “peacefully and democratically.”