Tuesday under tension in Lebanon. Hundreds of protesters mobilized early Tuesday, February 11, in Beirut, tried to prevent access to the parliament of deputies, the day when they must vote confidence in the new government led by Hassan Diab.
The demonstrators believe that the executive does not meet the aspirations of the challenge. They were dispersed by tear gas and a water cannon by the Lebanese security forces.
Before proceeding to the vote of confidence, the Parliament planned two sittings, which will begin Tuesday and Wednesday at 11 h (09 h GMT), to question the ministers and to study the "ministerial declaration", the roadmap which presents the broad lines of the government program.
Lebanon has been shaken since October 17 by an unprecedented protest movement, which has castigated the entire political class accused of corruption and incompetence, in a country on the brink of economic collapse.
>> To read: "We are not listened to when we demonstrate peacefully"
The security forces have reinforced their system around the Parliament, including concrete walls to block several roads in the city center.
A new government but "no confidence"
This did not prevent the demonstrators from gathering at the entrance to several avenues leading to the Parliament, and clashes erupted on one of these routes, the protesters throwing stones at the police who replied with tear gas and water cannons, according to the AFP correspondent.
On another avenue, demonstrators sat on the ground to cut the road that could be taken by the deputies, but the army intervened to evacuate them. A protester told local television that they had been beaten.
Despite the mobilization, deputies managed to rally the Parliament.
According to local media, the demonstrators blocked the procession of a minister, throwing eggs at his vehicle and chanting "resign, resign".
The army estimated, on Twitter, that "acts of vandalism and attacks on public and private property tarnish the claims (of the dispute), do not allow to concretize these requests, and do not represent a freedom of expression" .
"I'm here to say 'no confidence' to this government, because the way it was formed means that we cannot trust it," said Carole, mobilized in central Beirut.
The protesters demanded a government of technocrats, completely independent of the political class. The current team, which includes figures unknown to the general public, was formed after several weeks of bitter negotiations between the parties which enjoy the majority in Parliament, namely the Shiite movement of Hezbollah and its allies.
With AFP
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