The Prime Minister in charge of forming the Lebanese government, Saad Hariri, said that there are external problems related to the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, and his allies that prevent the formation of the government.

Hariri added - after his meeting with Pope Francesco in the Vatican - that there is a Lebanese political team that obstructs the formation of the government, and that there are local parties that want the collapse of Lebanon to preserve their political interests.

For his part, Pope Francesco promised Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri today, Thursday, to visit Lebanon, but not before political forces set aside their differences for the sake of the country.

The Vatican said that Hariri, who will also meet with Italian leaders during a short visit to the country, held talks with the Pope that lasted about half an hour.

Politicians are divided

Hariri told Lebanese television afterward that the Pope would visit the country, but only after divided politicians could agree to form a new government.

He added, "His Holiness the Pope will visit Lebanon, but after the formation of the government, and I explained to His Holiness Pope Francesco the problems that we are suffering from and asked his Holiness for help."

"This is a message to the Lebanese that we must form a government so that all powers and states meet to help us and be able to advance Lebanon with our friends," he said.

The Vatican said in a statement that the Pope wanted during the meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, to reaffirm his closeness to the Lebanese people, who are living in a period characterized by great difficulty and uncertainty, and he also reminded the responsibility of all political forces that "must urgently commit themselves to the benefit of the nation."

Hariri, who held the premiership three times, resigned in 2019 after protests against the ruling elite, whom the protesters held responsible for plunging the country into crisis.

He was assigned again to form the ministry last October, but he remained at odds with President Michel Aoun, and was unable to form a new government.