Lebanese political leaders reached an agreement on Thursday over a governmental formula ending months of wrangling between rival political factions that has added to concerns for its struggling economy and massive public debt.
Accordingly, three decrees pertaining to accepting the resignation of the incumbent cabinet, designating Saad Hariri to form the new government and the new cabinet formation were issued on Thursday.
The first two decrees were signed by President Michel Aoun, while the third decree was signed by both Aoun and Hariri, and then read by Council of Ministers Secretary General Fouad Fleifel.
After reading the decrees, Fleifel read the final governmental formula and it came as follows:
Saad Hariri as Prime Minister
Ghassan Hasbani as Deputy Prime Minister
Akram Chouhayeb as Education Minister and Higher Education
Ali Hassan Khalil as Finance Minister
Mohammad Fneish as Youth and Sports Minister
Gebran Bassil as Foreign Affairs Minister
Wael Abou Faour as Industry Minister
Rayya Haffar al-Hassan as Interior and Municipalities Minister
Salim Jreissati as State Minister for Presidential Affairs
Elias Bou Saab as National Defense Minister
Jamal al-Jarrah as Information Minister
Youssef Finianos as Public Works and Transport Minister
Avedis Kidanian as Tourism Minister
Albert Serhan as Justice Minister
Mahmoud Qamati as State Minister for Parliament Affairs
Mansour Bteish as Economy and Trade Minister
Jamil Sobhi Jabaq as Health Minister
Kamil Abou Sleiman as Labor Minister
Richard Kyumjian as Social Affairs Minister
May Chidiac as State Minister for Administrative Development
Hassan al-Lakis as Agriculture Minister
Mohammad Choucair as Telecommunications Minister
Adel Afyouni as State Minister for Information Technology Affairs
Fadi Jreissati as Environment Minister
Ghassan Atallah as Displaced Minister
Hassan Mrad as State Minister for Foreign Trade Affairs
Saleh al-Gharib as State Minister for Refugees Affairs
Mohammad Daoud Daoud as Culture Minister
Violette Khairallah Safadi as State Minister for Social and Economic Rehabilitation for Youth and Women
Nada Boustany as Energy and Water Minister