Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is striving to set up a new government ahead of the holidays season as new hitches popped up, casting a pall of gloom over the entire Cabinet formation process, sources close to the process said Thursday.
In addition to former MP Ghattas Khoury, Nader Hariri, chief of Hariri's staff, Jumblatt's son and daughter, Taymour and Dalia, caretaker Health Minister Wael Abu Faour, former Minister Ghazi Aridi, the meeting was also attended by MP Marwan Hamade and former MP Ayman Shoukair, who are widely tipped to represent Jumblatt's bloc in the new government.
Hariri did not elaborate on the new snags that prevented the announcement of the Cabinet lineup.
Aoun and Hariri prefer a 24-member Cabinet, while Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah back an expanded 30-member government in order to include their allies in the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the Baath Party and MP Talal Arslan, the source said.
Geagea said the LF does not mind having a government with 24 or 30 ministers.
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