Lebanon government wins confidence vote amid protests

EPA-EFE/NABIL MOUNZER
Anti-government protesters set fire on a road leading to the Parliament building in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, 11 February 2020. Anti-government protesters gathered in downtown Beirut on 11 February to prevent members of Parliament from reaching Parliament building and to reject the new government formed on 21 January 2020 by Prime Minister Hassan Diab.

- Advertisement -

Lebanon’s Parliament has backed a new cabinet and the government’s financial plan in a vote of confidence held despite protesters who rejected it.
63 of 84 MPs present gave their confidence to the new government formed last month after months of political chaos. The country’s Shia Islamist militant group Hezbollah and its allies backed the government, while the Future Movement of former PM Saad Hariri voted no confidence along with its allies. Hezbollah makes up a pariamentary majority, and is banned in many countries.
Prime minister Hassan Diab, former education minister, promised to address the demands of the protesters, who doubt that the new government will end corruption and poverty. Before the vote, he said his government’s priority was preserving foreign currency needed for imports.
Security forces used batons, tear gas and rubber bullets to clear the roads of protesters, who threw stones at the MP’s vehicles.
Diab read the new government’s policy statement, and announced the measures aimed at addressing the financial crisis, including fiscal and administrative reforms, fight against corruption, tax evasion and smuggling. He also said the government would seek to establish the independence of the judiciary within 100 days.

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

Latest

A Code of Conduct for the HR Outsourcing sector

The quote - often attributed to Deng Xiaoping -...

T is for tariffs

If the quick freeze and attempted shut down of...

EU officially implements landmark AI law

The EU officially implemented its new landmark AI law...

Trump administration unleashes first sanctions on Iranian shadow fleet

On February 6, the Department of the Treasury unleashed...

Don't miss

A Code of Conduct for the HR Outsourcing sector

The quote - often attributed to Deng Xiaoping -...

T is for tariffs

If the quick freeze and attempted shut down of...

EU officially implements landmark AI law

The EU officially implemented its new landmark AI law...

Trump administration unleashes first sanctions on Iranian shadow fleet

On February 6, the Department of the Treasury unleashed...

Tariff Trouble in Trump Town

President Trump has had many a cartoon about him...

Kazakhstan’s president proposes Constitutional reforms referendum

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed on April 29 holding a referendum in the Central Asian country on the draft amendments to the Constitution and...

High gas prices push up electricity cost in EU

High energy prices in recent months have drawn attention from the European Commission, highlighting the importance of energy security, especially in times when global...

EU Commission launches competition for next Green Capital

The European Commission called on December 15 on European cities embarking on the path to sustainability to apply for the 2024 European Green Capital...

Poland’s wind power secures EBRD financing

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said on December 16 the bank will lend PLN 175 million (€38.9 million equivalent) for the...

MEPs reach deal with Council on EU-backed energy projects

The updated rules to select which energy projects will receive EU support were informally agreed between Members of the European Parliament and the Slovenian...

New EU framework to decarbonize gas markets, promote hydrogen, cut methane emissions

The European Commission adopted on December 15 a set of legislative proposals to decarbonise the EU gas market by facilitating the uptake of renewable...

Bulgaria’s new government maintains Enlargement veto

While Bulgaria’s November 14 elections managed to break the political logjam that had paralyzed the country for most of 2021, which required three consecutive...

Biden and Putin talk, but about what?

Although it is stating the obvious, Russia has been at war with Ukraine since 2014.The recent video summit between president Biden and Putin as...