designate Saad Al-Hariri is expected to announce a new national unity government in Lebanon to include Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah in the next 48 hours. The formation of the government five months after a parliamentary election raises these questions: What's the make-up of the government? u Hariri was designated to form the new government after he led his coalition, backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia, to victory in June election over Hezbollah and its allies. But with Syria and Saudi Arabia keen to improve bilateral ties and ease political and sectarian tensions in Lebanon, they nudged their allies to agree on a unity government that gives Hariri's coalition 15 ministers in a 30-member cabinet, Hezbollah and its allies 10 and President Michel Suleiman five ministers. The formula theoretically gives the president the balancing power in cabinet, with the Hariri coalition unable to gain a simple majority and the minority unable to block key decisions as they don't hold a third plus one votes in government. Who holds the key ministries? u President Suleiman will keep his ministers in the defense and interior ministries while Hariri loyalists will hold the ministries of finance and economy. Hezbollah's main Christian ally Michel Aoun will name the ministers of energy and telecommunications while its Shi'ite ally Nabih Berri will name the foreign minister. Burying the hatchet with Syria? uThe new government's first task would be to draw up a policy statement and present it to parliament for a vote of confidence. Despite deep disagreements between the two camps on some crucial issues, like the fate of Hezbollah's guerrilla army, the statement is expected to go smoothly and rather swiftly. Once that is out of the way, Hariri is expected to visit Damascus and hold talks with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in a move set to redraw the political landscape in Lebanon. Hariri's coalition had accused Syria of assassinating statesman Rafik Al-Hariri, Saad's father, in February 2005. Syria denies any links, but the killing forced Damascus to end its 29-year military presence in Lebanon in April 2005 and led to the formation of a special court in The Hague to investigate and prosecute the killers. Will alliances be redrawn? uHariri's visit to Damascus would open a new page between the two countries and reshuffle alliances in Beirut. The political division that had split the country for more than four years is set to ease with all main factions working together in government as their regional allies – Syria and Saudi Arabia – continue to seek improved ties and easing of tensions. Several Hariri allies, including Druze leader Walid Jumblatt who was among Syria's harshest critics since 2005, are expected to visit Damascus too to mend fences. What will the government do on the economy? u Hariri's main challenge would be to tackle the country's economic and social woes. Lebanon has largely shrugged off the effects of the global crisis but it faces a public debt of around $50 billion, lack of reforms and run down services. Hariri, a billionaire businessman, plans a three-stage drive to tackle the woes: quick fixes in the first 100 days, a medium-term plan to fix more serious problems in 12-18 months like electrical power shortages, and a longer-term plan to tackle the debt, including implementing reforms and a privatization plan agreed with donors over the past decade.
