LILIT HARUTYUNYAN
Rivalries between different Sunni politicians were common in the pre-war and civil-war eras and only since 2005 has the Hariri camp managed to lay exclusive claim to the post . The choice of protest site was also highly symbolic and the protests were concentrated in Mikati ’ s hometown , Tripoli . Mikati himself showed that he could also speak in a “ confessional language ”. On Lebanon ’ s premier political talk-show , called Kalam al-Nas , Mikati responded to suggestions that he did not represent “ the Sunnis ” by saying : “ I don ’ t accept anyone to question my Sunnism . If there ’ s a Sunni in Lebanon , it ’ s me . I ’ m Sunni in belief , Sunni in practice , Sunni in politics and I ’ m the number one defender of the Sunnis in Lebanon . I ’ m the number one Sunni in Lebanon !”. 61
It is a fact that Mikati would not have become prime minister without the backing of Hezbollah and the other 8 March members , but he also had some leeway . Hezbօllah only held two minor ministries and Mikati immediately assured the USA that he would take an independent path 62 . There were important continuities between the governments headed by the Hariri camp and the Mikati administration . The most crucial one was the continuation of Hariri ’ s policy of government debt management . Muhammad Safadi took over the finance ministry in the government of Mikati . Safadi is also a “ new businessman ” from Tripoli 63 . Mikati resisted demands by Michel Aoun to hand the finance ministry to his Free Patriotic Movement ( FPM ) 64 . Given the “ anti-corruption " stance adopted by the FPM , such a move would have led to great unease among investors . Hailing from an established trading family , he migrated to Saudi Arabia in 1975 , where he built residential compounds . Safadi had close relations with the head of the Saudi air force , Prince Turki al-Nasr . In 2000 , he founded the Safadi Foundation , which offers health , educational and social services 65 . He first entered parliament in 2000 and became minister of public works in the government of Fuad Siniora in 2005 and minister of economy and trade in 2008 until Najib Mikati appointed him finance minister in 2011 . Although previously allied to 14 March , he is clearly trying to assert his independence .
Since 1992 , the Hariri faction has been in control of the finance ministry , the post of prime minister and the central bank . The policy adopted
61
“ The Number One Sunni in Lebanon ”,. https :// qifanabki . com / 2012 / 05 / 21 / the-numberone-sunni-in-lebanon / ( Accessed May 30 , 2020 ).
62
New York Times , January 26 , 2011 , http :// www . nytimes . com / 2011 / 01 / 27 / world / middleast / 27lebanon . html ( Accessed April 2 , 2020 ).
63
Mohammed Safadi , The Guardian , June 7 , 2007 , http :// www . guardian . co . uk / world / 2007 / jun / 07 / bae6 ( Accessed May 30 , 2020 ).
64
Miqati Assures of His Ties with Saudi : The Government is Ready , Naharnet , February 26 , 2011 , http :// www . naharnet . com / stories / en / 3449 ( Accessed May 30 , 2020 ).
65
For more information about Safadi Foundation see the official website , https :// www . safadi-foundation . org / ( Accessed May 30 , 2020 ).
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