The street was heard in Lebanon. The main Lebanese parties, conspired for several days in the streets of the country, accepted Sunday, October 20, a series of reforms proposed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, according to a government source.

Faced with street pressure, the head of government gave Friday three days to his government to endorse the reforms hitherto blocked by political divisions, an ultimatum that expires Monday early evening.

The main political leaders responded to this ultimatum, agreeing to no longer impose new taxes and a privatization program, told AFP a government official on condition of anonymity.

>> Read also: Lebanon: the protest continues, Christian ministers resign from the government

Reduced salaries of managers

According to our on-site correspondent, Zeina Antonios, this roadmap includes a 50% reduction in the salaries of current and former officials, a pension reform, a plan to fight corruption and a revamping of the sector. electricity.

Saad Hariri "sent his plan to all parties concerned and received their agreement," said the official, citing the two major groups with the majority in government, the Free Patriotic Movement (MPL) and Hezbollah. A council of ministers should give Monday morning its formal approval, in the presence of President Michel Aoun.

A mobilization that is gaining momentum

The latest protests were triggered by Thursday's unannounced announcement of a new tax on calls made via Internet messaging apps like WhatsApp. The televised speech the day after Saad Hariri was widely interpreted by the protesters as an attempt to save in extremis the political class booed on the street for its corruption and its inability to conduct reforms in a country with deliquescent infrastructure.

For the fourth consecutive day, the Lebanese went down on Sunday throughout the country to demand the departure of the entire political class. The mobilization has grown further to reach hundreds of thousands of people.

>> To read: In Lebanon, an economic crisis against a background of corruption

Departure of the Lebanese Forces Party

The first political consequence of this movement of protest: the leader of the Lebanese Forces (Christian), Samir Geagea, announced Saturday, October 19, the departure of his movement from the government. "We are now convinced that the government is unable to take the necessary measures to save the situation, so our bloc decided to ask its ministers to resign," he said.

Samir Geagea's announcement was greeted by protesters in Beirut, who called on other parties to resign from the government. In Tripoli, the second largest city in the country, some have launched fireworks.

Lebanon is facing an unprecedented economic crisis as the country's debt rises to more than $ 86 billion, or 150 percent of GDP.

With AFP