The Lebanese Prime Minister gave in to pressure from the streets. This weekend, he said he was ready to stay in power for two more months, the time to organize early parliamentary elections. Finally, on Sunday evening, Hassane Diab announced the resignation of his government, almost a week after the violent explosions that ravaged the center of Beirut and triggered the anger of the population against the negligence of the political class. Europe 1 was on the Place des Martyrs, the epicenter of the dispute.
"Let them all go"
According to the Constitution of Lebanon, it is now up to the president, Michel Aoun, to appoint the future Prime Minister to form a new government. A step often long and complicated by compromises between the different political parties. Small arrangements that reinforce the anger of the population.
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The Lebanese are asking for a government of technocrats, rid of all the political families in power for 30 years and the end of the civil war. "We want them all to leave, they are all part of the same affair, even those who have tried to do something or to oppose. They cannot impose themselves because the mafia is so big", says Omar, one of the demonstrators. "We want a minister who knows what he is doing, who is an expert in his field. Not people who are in office according to their personal relationships."
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There is an emergency for the Land of the Cedar. Beyond the explosions which left at least 137 dead and thousands of injured, a serious economic crisis has hit Lebanon for several months. The indicators are catastrophic for the population: almost half of the population (45%) lives below the poverty line, with 22% of the Lebanese in a state of "absolute poverty". International aid is promised, but conditional on reforms for greater transparency. A requirement renewed by Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to Beirut last week.