National Unity

So I go on holidays for 3 days and suddenly we have a new government… But I’m not complaining.
The new government is something we’ve all wanted for some time. Some have waited 6 weeks for it (since the resignation of the previous cabinet), some have waited 20 months (since the opposition demanded the resignation of the previous cabinet), and some have basically been waiting since July 2005 when the previous cabinet took office). But the point is we’re all happy about the fact that the new government is here, so that’s something we agree on.
What we don’t agree on is how much we’re happy and for what reasons. My guess is that most Lebanese, myself included, are just glad there is a new government in place that they hope will be able to look after their needs. But some Lebanese, myself included, have some particular opinions about what they like and what they don’t like about the new cabinet. And in the spirit of this blog, I will make explicit some of my opinions to see if they will come back to bite me in the ass in 2 years time:
What I like:

1. All major (and some minor) parties are represented in the new cabinet. Say what you will about democracy and how in other countries the majority rules. I still think it’s a good thing.
2. Majority still rules: with 16 out of 30 ministers, the March 14 camp still has the final say on day-to-day decisions that affect people’s lives, but with major decisions that affect the identity of our nation require consensus.
3. Hezbollah has only one minister. This undermines the claim that they are trying to control everything in the country.
4. The redistribution of certain portfolios (like Telecommunications), undermines the claim by the opposition that the March 14 politicians cling to power like a dog to a bone.
5. The Interior and Defense portfolios were named by the President who is still seen as a neutral well-respected and patriotic figure.
6. Lot of new names and fresh faces.

What I don’t like:

1. Some portfolios were retained by people who did not do a particularly fine job with them in the past: Defense by Murr and Foreign by Salloukh.
2. The way the seats are distributed on sectarian lines is somewhat disturbing. I know this is expected, but it doesn’t make it any less ugly.
3. Ali Kanso. Partly because I don't particularly like him, but mainly because so many hate him.
4. The fact that the cabinet still needs to propose a platform and gain parliamentary confidence before it assumes its powers… and God only knows how long this would take.

Photo licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.