Efforts to form a new government have been paralyzed by demands made by some parties for bigger shares as no breakthrough is expected in the coming days amid a trip that PM-designate Saad Hariri kicks off Thursday to Spain and the UK. While the General Labor Confederation (GLC) sounded the alarm on Wednesday concerning the threats caused by the delay in the formation of the new cabinet, Speaker Nabih Berri said he might call for a Parliament session for consultations on the reasons blocking the government formation. “So far, there has been no change … in the issue of the government formation. We have been waiting for two months, but no progress has been made,” Berri was quoted as saying during his weekly meeting with lawmakers at his Ain al-Tineh residence. The Speaker was also quoted by the MPs as saying that Lebanon is in dire need for an effective government to deal with the economic and social crises gripping in the country, to restore the people’s confidence and reactivate institutions. For his part, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdellatif Derian visited Hariri on Wednesday and called for the speedy formation of the government. He said the PM-designate is the one in charge of forming the government in consultation with President Michel Aoun and Berri. The Mufti described the meeting with Hariri as “positive and reassuring,” calling on all political parties and parliamentary blocs to facilitate the formation of the government. Also commenting on the cabinet stalemate, Lebanese Forces MP Sethrida Geagea reiterated the LF’s demand to be represented in the new government based on its parliamentary size. "The LF clings to the understanding of Maarab and relies on the wisdom of His Excellency the President to address this issue," she said. However, MP Asaad Durgham from the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc asserted on Wednesday that the Maarab understanding was currently put on hold, stressing the need to protect the ministerial share of the President. As political parties continued to bicker on cabinet shares, the GLC warned that any further delay in cabinet formation would have repercussions on workers and the economic situation in the country. GLC President Beshara Asmar visited LF leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday to brief him on the conditions of Lebanons workers due to the government formation delay and the country’s economic policies.