The Day

Lebanese government resigns after Beirut explosion and public anger

- By BASSEM MROUE

Beirut — Lebanon’s prime minister stepped down from his job Monday in the wake of the catastroph­ic explosion in Beirut that has triggered public outrage, saying he has come to the conclusion that corruption in the country is “bigger than the state.”

The move risks opening the way to dragged-out negotiatio­ns over a new Cabinet amid urgent calls for reform. It follows a weekend of anti-government protests after the Aug. 4 explosion in Beirut’s port that decimated the facility and caused widespread destructio­n, killing at least 160 people and injuring about 6,000 others.

In a brief televised speech after three of his ministers resigned, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said he and his government were stepping down.

“May God protect Lebanon,” he said, repeating the last phrase three times. As he spoke, protesters demonstrat­ed in the streets near parliament for a third straight day.

The moment typified Lebanon’s political dilemma. Since October, there have been mass demonstrat­ions demanding the departure of the entire sectarian-based leadership over entrenched corruption, incompeten­ce and mismanagem­ent.

But the ruling oligarchy has held onto power for so long — since the end of the civil war in 1990 — that it is difficult to find a credible political figure untainted by connection­s to it.

Diab blamed corrupt politician­s who preceded him for the “earthquake” that has hit Lebanon.

“They (the political class) should have been ashamed of themselves because their corruption is what has led to this disaster that had been hidden for seven years,” he added.

“I have discovered that corruption is bigger than the state and that the state is paralyzed by this (ruling) clique and cannot confront it or get rid of it,” said Diab, who was a professor at the American University of Beirut before he took the job.

After the catastroph­e, Diab had sought to stay on for two months to organize new parliament­ary elections and allow a map for reforms. But the pressure from within his own Cabinet proved to be too much.

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