Sources close to the government formation process revealed that at night the name of Antoine Syriani was replaced by Najla Asaker.

The sources indicated that Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati will visit Baabda before noon to announce the anticipated government, if no emergency events emerged and damaged the process or postponed the PM-designate’s visit to Baabda.

In parallel, the sources clarified that contacts are still underway to set a date for President Mikati in Baabda, after the name of Amin Slam was proposed to take over the economy portfolio.

On the other hand, well-informed sources revealed to aljoumhouria that “the pace of pressure has increased drastically, including Iranian pressures, which Hezbollah has translated in the past hours in its contacts with the two parties.

These contacts will prompt him to say literally: “If an understanding is reached on the name of the Minister of Economy (and it is believed that he is the economist Jamal Kebhe or Amin Slam) and the name of the Catholic minister tonight (last night on Thursday), we can wake up tomorrow morning (today Friday) on the fourteenth date, that would finish the formation process. The rest of the names were dropped on all portfolios, and talking about reconsidering what was previously agreed upon is not true.”