The last minute race in Lebanon .. Aoun reassures, Hariri consulted and tens of thousands demonstrating

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has promised to provide a reassuring solution to the country's deep crisis, while tens of thousands of Lebanese took to the streets protesting against the country's political class.

The third day saw a rise in the number of demonstrators who stayed in the streets until the early hours of Sunday, and poured out their anger on the political elite, which they blame for entrenching patronage and push the economy towards the abyss.

In downtown Beirut, anger blended with a festive atmosphere. Protesters of all ages took part in the demonstrations, waving their country's flag chanting slogans of the revolution in front of upscale shops and banks whose facades crashed in riots overnight.

Protesters in the south, east and north of the country blocked roads, burned tires and staged street rallies despite the spread of heavily armed gunmen loyal to the Shi'ite Amal movement.

The unrest was triggered by anger over rising living costs and plans to impose new fees, including charges for voice calls via WhatsApp, a move the authorities quickly backed down after the country's biggest protests in decades.

In an indication of the scale of the popular resentment, it was noticeable that angry demonstrations were taking place in areas affiliated with influential political currents.

Promises and assurances
In an attempt to calm the protesters' anger, Lebanon's finance minister said on Saturday after a meeting with Prime Minister Saad Hariri they had agreed to a final budget that did not include any taxes or surcharges.

"There will be a reassuring solution to the crisis," President Michel Aoun said on Twitter.

Elie Farzli, deputy speaker of the Lebanese parliament, said he believed the government would hold a session on Sunday to issue an agreement on a draft budget next year.

Farzli said in an interview with Al Jazeera in a previous bulletin that the upcoming meeting will also discuss the demands of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and will issue bills sent to the House of Representatives for approval.

For his part, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in a tweet on Twitter, that the center (his home) beehive today, where (held) internal meetings and other technical and communications and meetings away from the media.

The protests come after complaints of corruption in the government, its mismanagement of financial resources and its failure to cope with rising unemployment are mounting.

Hariri faced greater pressure late on Saturday when Lebanese Maronite Christian leader Samir Geagea said he had asked his party ministers to resign from the government and called for a new government.

Geagea said in a speech carried by Al-Jadeed television that his four-party party had concluded that the government was incapable of resolving the country's deepening economic and financial crisis.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Friday gave his government partners 72 hours to agree on reforms that would avert an economic crisis, hinting he could resign if not.

Nasrallah sticks to the government
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech on Saturday his group did not support the resignation of the government and that the country did not have time for such a move because of the severe economic crisis.

"Everyone must take responsibility and not be preoccupied at this time by settling political scores with some and leaving the fate of the country to the unknown, which will lead to an unknown security and political," he said.

He called on all political parties, including Hizbullah, to take responsibility, saying: "First, everyone must take responsibility and accept their share of responsibility for the situation. ".