Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Amid protests, Lebanon's Hariri sets deadline to resolve crisis

Amid protests, Lebanon's Hariri sets deadline to resolve crisis

Prime minister sets 72-hour deadline for leaders to resolve dire economic crisis as protests devolve into clashes.

Beirut, Lebanon - Prime Minister Saad Hariri has set a 72-hour deadline for his coalition partners to come up with solutions for Lebanon's economic crisis, as Friday's protests against austerity measures devolved into violence for a second day.

The protests, which broke out over government plans for new taxes, are the most serious challenge to Hariri's national unity government which came to power less than a year ago.

Hariri, in an address to the nation, blamed parties in his coalition for obstructing reforms to Lebanon's debt-laden economy.

"I'm giving our partners in government a very short deadline - 72 hours that can give us a solution that can convince us, the people on the streets and our international partners," he said, describing the country's economic malaise as "unprecedented" and "difficult".

As Hariri spoke, protesters waving Lebanese flags in Beirut's Martyr Square continued to call for the resignation of the country's political leadership, including Hariri, President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.

Demonstrators, who are angry over plans to impose new taxes amid rising costs of living, chanted "Revolution! Revolution!" and "The people demand the fall of the regime". They also accused Lebanon's top leaders of corruption, and called for the country's strict banking secrecy laws to be lifted so that state funds stolen over the decades can be returned to the treasury.

"Thief, thief, Michel Aoun is a thief," some chanted, looking around nervously.

In Lebanon, insulting the president can land you in jail.

The peaceful demonstration devolved into clashes late on Friday, as police used tear gas to disperse protesters at the Riad al-Solh Square.

Protesters also took to the streets in the eastern Bekaa Valley and in Tripoli, Lebanon's second-largest city, where local media said that several protesters were wounded when a legislator's bodyguards opened fire on a crowd.

Riots were also reported in the Roumieh and Zahle prisons.

Earlier on Friday, Bassil, the foreign minister and president's son-in-law, in an address to protesters, also blamed other political parties for blocking reforms, but said that "any alternative to the current government would be far worse".

The demonstrations began on Thursday after the cash-strapped government announced plans to impose new taxes, including on WhatsApp voice calls. Overnight on Friday, protesters blocked streets across the country by burning tyres, and in some areas set fire to buildings and vandalised shops.

Amid the unrest, banks, shops and schools closed operations on Friday, and Saudi Arabia said it was evacuating its citizens from the country.

"Everyone is tired of this, the situation is horrible, people have no money, the people are falling apart, and all they give us is taxes, taxes, taxes," said Samir Shmaysri, a 39-year old hairdresser from Beirut.

"There's no reform process to even hope for the situation to get better."

The outpouring of anger prompted the Lebanese government to scrap plans for taxes on WhatsApp calls, but the measure did little to placate protesters.

"We want to change the situation in the country, that's it," said one protester who was blocking a road with a flaming rubbish bin near Beirut's Ras al-Nabaa area, just outside downtown.

"We've tried being peaceful, it hasn't worked."

The man had a wooden club with one charred end in his right hand. Next to him, another young man was busy reblocking a road with smouldering rubbish bins and burning tyres, after a Lebanese army vehicle briefly opened it to pass through.

Randa, who brought her young nephew to Friday's protest, said it was her first time on the streets.

"It's not a matter of whether it's fitting or not for a child his age," the university teacher said, as the Lebanese national anthem rang out from speakers being her.

"Everyone needs to come down," she said. "I feel that there is no partisan inclination to the protests. The intentions are pure."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×