New Lebanon government: Does Hezbollah have too much influence?

As the cabinet was announced, many expressed relief, hoping for a respite from the crises that have marked Lebanon since Mr Rafik Hariri's assassination in 2005.

It was announced that the Cabinet's majority is made up of the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition, and Mitaki was quoted as saying by the Lebanese Daily Star that the "government will be a government for all Lebanon and will work for all the Lebanese people without discrimination."

However drama struck once again as  only a couple of hours later, Talal Arslan, a state minister in the new cabinet, announced his resignation, accusing Mr Mikati of being a "liar" and of seeking to deprive the minority Druse of key cabinet posts. Accusations of lies and illegitimacy once again landed on the political scene and managed to interfere and jeopardize the political processes.

During a rather shambolic news conference, Mr Arslan also accused Mikati of creating tension among political allies.

"I announce my resignation from the government of Najib Mikati, as it would shame me to sit on his right in a government he presides over," said Mr Arslan.

He insisted his decision was governed by the government's inability to offer more prestigious and important ministerial positions for the Druse, who make up less than ten per cent of Lebanon's population, which is itself divided among 18 sects and religions.

 In order to overcome the differences, by custom, power is allotted among three different groups , with  the presidency allocated to Maronite Catholics, the post of prime minister to Sunni Muslims and that of speaker of Parliament to Shiite Muslims, the largest group in Lebanon.

As the government started to crumble so soon after its formation, political analysts now fear even more tumult. While some cite the resignation of Arslan as a sign that the country could sink deeper into political chaos, others insist that it is instead the preponderance of Hezbollah and its allies, along with the virtual absence of Mr Hariri and the forces he still represents, that could potentially result in more crises.

"This is not going to be a long-term government," said Sateh Noureddine, a columnist with the newspaper As-Safir. "Hezbollah wanted to form a government to move well beyond the Saad Hariri era, by any means."