Lebanon: New Government After Easter Holiday Likely

Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, has said he is optimistic that Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati’s new cabinet will be officially formed  shortly after the Easter holiday.  The speaker said that most of the “thorny issues” has been resolved and that negotiations were focusing on “final touches.”  The formation of a new government has been in a three month long deadlock with political infighting over specific cabinet portfolios and Christian representation in the cabinet.  The new cabinet will have 30 ministerial posts, nine of which will be shared by Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and the Hezbollah led March 8 movement.