Lebanese PM designate steps down amid obstacles in cabinet formation

BEIRUT - Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib declared on Saturday his failure to form a new cabinet given his inability to overcome obstacles hindering the mission, al-Jadeed local TV channel reported.

Adib apologized to the Lebanese people, stressing that "the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron must continue because it expresses the sincere intention of France."

"It has become clear for me that the consensus no longer exists noting that the efforts have reached their final stages," he said in Baabda Palace at his meeting with President Michel Aoun.

Adib was appointed on Aug 31 to form a new cabinet following the resignation of Hassan Diab's cabinet after the blasts that rocked Beirut on Aug 4.

However, Adib's efforts faced several obstacles including the insistence by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to hold on to the Finance Ministry by appointing a Shiite finance minister in addition to naming potential Shiite ministers in the new cabinet.

Moreover, Adib was pushing for the adoption of a rotation system among Lebanon's political parties for the four sovereign ministries, namely the finance, defense, interior and foreign affairs portfolios.

Berri's approach to dealing with government formation came following the United States' move earlier this month that slapped sanctions against former finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil who is Berri's top aid.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been pushing for the formation of a cabinet capable of implementing serious reforms in Lebanon, came in contact with Berri in an attempt to facilitate government formation but his initiative failed to change Berri's insistence that the finance ministry be retained by Shiite sect.

Adib had hoped to be able to form a cabinet of specialists who are independent of the main political parties.