Military and security institutions find themselves, once again, drowned in the maze of political politics. The standoff between the outgoing Prime Minister, Nagib Mikati, and the Aounist camp led by the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, completely paralyzes government action and prevents (so far) the holding of a Council of Ministers . In the meantime, the specter of a double vacuum hangs over the military council (the decision-making body of the army’s chief command), a few days before the retirement of two of its members, whose successors should be appointed by a cabinet… blocked until further notice. Another consequence of the ministerial paralysis: the freezing of a decree formalizing social aid granted to the military, the outgoing Minister of Defense, Maurice Slim, requiring that the decree in question be countersigned by his 24 colleagues during the presidential vacation period.
Social assistance to soldiers
On Wednesday evening, the outgoing head of government announced, in a press release published by his press office, that he had asked the Minister of Defense to sign this decree granting social assistance to the military in view of the serious economic crisis that has plagued the country since three years. According to the press release, the text should be endorsed by Maurice Slim as approved during the controversial government session on December 5, boycotted by the ministers gravitating in the orbit of the Michel Aoun-Gebran Bassil tandem, including Maurice Slim.
“I received a copy of the decree that Mr. Mikati should sign in two places, as Prime Minister, but also in place of the President of the Republic (whose position has been vacant since the end of Michel Aoun’s mandate , on October 31), which I cannot tolerate,” Mr. Slim told L’Orient-Le Jour. He wishes to emphasize, however, that his “principled” position does not block the aid granted to the military. “I was the first – if not the only – to advocate for better living conditions for soldiers and officers in the army, an institution I have been a part of for four decades,” said the minister. “The amount of aid in question is equivalent to twice the salary. A sum that is added to the basic salary, ”explains Mr. Slim, stressing that all the soldiers are in the process of receiving this aid, even before the signing of the decree. Where then is the heart of the problem? “The text does not mention the salary supplements granted to officers of the army and other security services, whereas these allowances are a fundamental right of the persons concerned,” says Maurice Slim. These allowances were added to the decree that the minister signed and sent to the Grand Serail.
Mr Slim assures that his position on military welfare should not be interpreted as vexatious behavior towards the Prime Minister. But circles in the Seraglio do not hear it that way. made by the Minister of Defense is a clear political attempt to block the Council of Ministers”, comments Farès Gemayel, the spokesperson for Mr. Mikati. “Let the Minister of Defense assume responsibility for his choice before the military”, he throws.
The vacancy in the military council
The military council, a decision-making body within the command-in-chief of the army, is also facing a risk of vacancy with the retirement of the chief of staff of the military institution, Amine el -Orm (Druze), on December 24, and the Inspector General, Milad Ishac (Greek-Orthodox), the next day. Under normal circumstances, the Council of Ministers can fill these vacancies on the proposal of the Minister of Defense, after that of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army. A ministerial source points out that such appointments must also be endorsed by political and community leaders. Thus, the Druze leader Walid Joumblatt generally has a say in the choice of the chief of staff. But what to do in a period of presidential vacancy with an outgoing cabinet that can only expedite current affairs? A military source who requested anonymity explains that the head of the troop can propose an extension of the mandate of the soldiers concerned at the rate of three renewable times, or twice every six months. Another solution would be for the most senior officer (of the same religious denomination) to replace his colleague who is retiring.
To avoid the double vacuum, the commander-in-chief of the army, Joseph Aoun, has already proposed to the Minister of Defense to extend the mandates of officers Ishac and Orm, in a reissue of a precedent recorded a few years ago when Samir Mokbel, Minister of Defense under the government of Tammam Salam – who managed the country during a presidential vacancy between 2014 and 2016 – kept Jean Kahwaji in his post as army chief, pending the election of a president.
But here too, the outgoing Minister of Defense opposes a categorical niet. “I cannot allow myself to commit a breach of the national defense law which prohibits such an approach”, defends Maurice Slim. “This subject was on the menu of several meetings I had with General Joseph Aoun. He is aware that this step is against the law,” he said. Why would the number one of the troop then have made a proposal of which he would not be convinced? Maurice Slim prefers not to answer the question, ensuring that he maintains a “very good relationship” with the head of the military institution, perceived as a serious presidential candidate despite the veto of the head of the CPL. “With the departure of the two generals, the military council will no longer be able to meet, because the law stipulates that it can only hold meetings in the presence of all its members”, regrets a former officer, who wished to keep the anonymity. However, he assures that this will not affect the functioning of the troop because, in the event of an emergency, the commander-in-chief will then have to take unilateral decisions, without going through the military council.
Military promotions
The aforementioned military source further confides to OLJ that before the retirement of officers Ishac and Orm, the military council adopted a series of promotions which should take effect on January 1, 2023. Except that this requires a decree adopted by the Council of Ministers. And as long as it does not meet, the process will remain blocked until further notice.
There is no reason to believe that all these questions will be resolved in the near future. Firstly because the CPL persists and signs: it will not participate in any government session unless it deems it necessary and urgent. “If the Prime Minister does not discuss the agenda of the meeting with us, we are not going to take part in it, because we want to decide on the urgent nature of the points to be examined,” said Maurice Slim. “The CPL parliamentary bloc has already taken the decision to boycott government meetings,” adds an Aouniste parliamentarian on condition of anonymity. “It’s a way of not normalizing with the wait-and-see attitude that some are trying to impose on us to push us to support their presidential candidate,” he said, in an obvious poke at Hezbollah, a longtime ally of the Orange Party. . Relations between the two camps almost experienced a breakdown following the meeting of the Council of Ministers on December 5, and especially against a backdrop of support from the yellow party for the candidacy of the leader of the Marada, Sleiman Frangié, for the presidential election in to the great displeasure of Gebran Bassil. “It’s also a way of opposing Nagib Mikati to govern the country alone,” adds the Aounist deputy. For the moment, the head of government is avoiding confrontation. “He will convene a Council of Ministers in case of emergency and need,” says Farès Gemayel.
Military and security institutions find themselves, once again, drowned in the maze of political politics. The standoff between the outgoing Prime Minister, Nagib Mikati, and the Aounist camp led by the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, completely paralyzes government action and prevents (so far) the holding of a Council of Ministers ….