Will Lebanon cabinet collapse next week?

.”

There is speculation in the local media that the March 14-led opposition is seeking to topple the cabinet next week by resorting to a vote of no confidence over the government’s performance during the 3 day parliament session.

About 70 MPs ( out of 128 ) have reportedly signed up to discuss government’s performance during the three-day parliamentary session that is scheduled to start on Tuesday and end on Thursday according to al-Liwaa newspaper

But Future Movement bloc MP Mohammed Qabbani told al-Liwaa newspaper that the opposition MPs have not yet taken such a decision.

According to An Nahar, several prominent opposition parliamentary members said that the government’s performance has been a failure “in every sense of the word.”

“The government’s main achievement was funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and its decision to distance itself” from various issues of debate, they told the daily

Safadi/ Mikati

This development comes after Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi’s scathing attack against his ally Prime Minister Najib Mikati.”

During an interview late Thursday evening on LBC’s Kalam el-Nass talk show Safadi blasted Mikati accusing him of spreading false allegations that he had taken commissions on the leasing of power-generating ships.

Safadi who is considered Mikati’s number one political ally said:

“[Mikati] did not say this to me, but had whispered this to others . The premier said that he has evidence that I will receive kickbacks on the electricity-generating ships and I say that it needs to be presented to the cabinet and parliament, and an immediate investigation should be launched.”

Safadi challenged Mikati to fire him “if he can prove I am incompetent and unqualified”

Informed political sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that Safadi is trying to take a different approach on political developments in an attempt perhaps to improve his chances of assuming the premiership “should the parliament topple the government next week

They added that what the minister revealed about Mikati on Thursday was but the “tip of the iceberg”.