Lebanon PM resigns to ‘solve’ protest crisis

Demonstrators against the ruling party chased out of Beirut after Hizbollah supporters torch campsites

LEBANON’S prime minister resigned last night following almost a fortnight of protests against a ruling elite that demonstrators say has dragged the country to economic collapse.

Saad Hariri admitted yesterday that he had run out of options and was stepping down to preserve “the country’s dignity and safety”, in a sombre address to the nation.

“For 13 days, the Lebanese people have waited on a decision for a political solution that stops the deterioration [of the economy],” said Mr Hariri, a week after offering a package of fiscal reforms which was dismissed by protesters as too little, too late.

He added: “I have hit a dead end, and it is time for a big shock to confront the crisis.

“Jobs come and go, but what’s important is the country, no one’s bigger than the nation.”

Protesters, who had gathered earlier in the day to block the main highway in Beirut, celebrated Mr Hariri’s announcement. Crowds cheered and chanted the now-popular refrain “all of them means all of them” which calls on the entire 30-member cabinet to quit.

The demonstrators, who have been on the streets since Oct 17, are demanding the overhaul of a political class viewed as incompetent and corrupt.

Maya Chebak, 44, an artist, said: “It’s a good day but we’re staying out on the streets until all of our demands are met. This is just the beginning of a very long journey for us”.

The discontent was initially sparked by the government’s decision to introduce a now-scrapped tax on the popular messaging service What’sapp, but protests quickly widened to target a host of other grievances such as economic stagnation, endemic corruption and a lack of basic public services.

It also came weeks after it was reported that Mr Hariri, whose father Rafik was prime minister before him, had made a payment of £12.5million to a young South African bikini model, sparking anger within one of the most indebted countries in the world.

Lebanon’s central bank warned on Monday that the country is “days away” from economic collapse.

Yesterday, supporters of Hizbollah and Amal, the two main Shia parties who do not want to see a collapse of the government, rampaged through the main protest camp in downtown Beirut torching tents, smashing plastic chairs and chasing away protesters.

Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbollah’s leader, has criticised the protests saying they are backed by foreign powers to sow chaos.

Mr Hariri’s resignation will only plunge the country into further uncertainty as any new prime minister will struggle to resolve the underlying concerns which have brought protesters on to the streets.

“This revolution made me realise that there was something deeply wrong with my country,” said Mohammed, a demonstrator waving a Lebanon flag.

“Before this, we were Sunni, Shia, Druze, Christian. Now we are united as Lebanese. Finally, I feel like I belong.”