Protests in Lebanon closing a number of roads

Several hundred people protested in Beirut on Sunday over the state of Lebanon’s economy and politics with some demonstrators briefly blocking several main roads in the capital.

The majority of the protesters gathered near the government headquarters where some wore yellow vests echoing France’s “yellow vest” protests of recent weeks. Demands included free medical care, lower food prices and tax cuts.

Some later spilled into streets around Beirut, with trash cans set ablaze on one main road where a scuffle occurred between demonstrators and soldiers seeking to open the way, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

An army statement called for “peaceful protest and not attacking public and private property”.

Lebanon’s politicians have yet to agree on a new national unity government more than seven months since the country held a general election.

Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said on Friday he had hoped to finalize a government agreement later that day. But senior politicians said on Saturday new snags had emerged that had held up the process.

Lebanon, heavily indebted and suffering from low economic growth, is in dire need of an administration to enact long-stalled reforms and put public debt on a sustainable footing.

The World Bank says the latest available official poverty rate shows that nearly one third of Lebanese are poor.

Source: Reuters

 

The Liberum

The subtitle of The Liberum ("the voice of the people is the voice of God") reflects the concept that the collective opinions and will of the people carry divine importance. They embody truth and wisdom, particularly in a non-partisan arena that profiles itself as a marketplace of free ideas and thoughts.
See full bio >
The Liberum runs on your donation. Fight with us for a free society.
Donation Form (#6)

More articles you might like

The Blah Conspiracy – From Sidney Sheldon to Chuck Norris

Just watched an atrocious movie the other day, Sidney Sheldon’s Bloodline (1979). I only did […]

Plan B: Syria’s descended Into Crisis Management Mode

Syria today is entangled in a dense web of geopolitical manoeuvring, broken promises, and competing […]

The Syrian Dilemma kickstarted the Israeli Era in the Levant

Syria today stands at the edge of an irreversible transformation, where internal disintegration, foreign mandates, […]

When Reform meets Resistance: The Fate of Hezbollah’s weapons

Lebanon’s cabinet is set to meet again on Thursday to address the contentious issue of […]

Syria’s Islamist-led Government is failing to live up to its pledge to protect its people

Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's new interim leader, has failed in his responsibility to protect all Syrians […]

Russia & Iran: Partners in defeat?

The Israeli-American attack on the Islamic Republic has clearly shown that Iran is on its […]