More than five months after holding parliamentary elections, Lebanon formed a new cabinet [last] Monday, ending a long period of gridlock that illustrated once again the myriad dysfunctions of this country’s bitterly divided political class. … Yet for all the relief surrounding its formation, the government will continue to face deep rifts that go to the heart of Lebanon’s still-unresolved identity, with one camp defining itself through resistance to Israel and the West, and the other aspiring to a more commercial and cosmopolitan role.
The new cabinet includes 15 seats for the majority led by Mr. Hariri, 10 for the Hezbollah-led opposition, and five for President Michel Suleiman, who has struggled to maintain neutrality. But because of the role of independent power brokers—including the wily Druse leader Walid Jumblatt, an ally of Mr. Hariri’s who distanced himself after the elections—the majority will have little chance to dictate the agenda. …
The origins of the breakthrough that led to [last] Monday’s announcement remain a mystery, since the basic power-sharing formula was agreed on months ago. Some say Syria, which long dominated Lebanon politically, had finally pushed its allies here to come to terms. But relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia, which have long vied for influence here, improved earlier this year, and many analysts believe that the two countries agreed not to interfere in the elections and their aftermath.
That, some say, was the problem. After so many years of taking political orders from abroad, Lebanon, with its weak and pliable institutions, may have lost the ability to forge a consensus on its own.Access the full article>>
