This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-50225100
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Lebanon's PM Hariri offers resignation amid protests | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said he is resigning, amid protests that have gripped the country for almost two weeks. | Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said he is resigning, amid protests that have gripped the country for almost two weeks. |
| Mr Hariri said Lebanon had reached a deadlock and needed a shock to break the crisis. | Mr Hariri said Lebanon had reached a deadlock and needed a shock to break the crisis. |
| The announcement was met with cheers from protesters in Beirut. | The announcement was met with cheers from protesters in Beirut. |
| The protests began against now-scrapped plans to tax WhatsApp calls, but quickly widened to target political corruption and economic turmoil. | The protests began against now-scrapped plans to tax WhatsApp calls, but quickly widened to target political corruption and economic turmoil. |
| Lebanon has one of the highest debt levels in the world. | Lebanon has one of the highest debt levels in the world. |
| The protests have led to a 10-day closure of banks, with many other offices, schools and universities also shut. | The protests have led to a 10-day closure of banks, with many other offices, schools and universities also shut. |
| What did Mr Hariri say? | What did Mr Hariri say? |
| In a televised address, the prime minister said he had reached a "dead end" and that he would tender his resignation and that of the government to President Michel Aoun. | In a televised address, the prime minister said he had reached a "dead end" and that he would tender his resignation and that of the government to President Michel Aoun. |
| Mr Hariri said: "For 13 days, the Lebanese people have waited for a decision for a political solution that stops the deterioration. And I have tried, during this period, to find a way out, through which to listen to the voice of the people." | Mr Hariri said: "For 13 days, the Lebanese people have waited for a decision for a political solution that stops the deterioration. And I have tried, during this period, to find a way out, through which to listen to the voice of the people." |
| But he added: "It has become necessary for us to make a great shock to fix the crisis. | But he added: "It has become necessary for us to make a great shock to fix the crisis. |
| "Posts come and go, what matters is the safety and dignity of the people." | "Posts come and go, what matters is the safety and dignity of the people." |
| President Aoun is still to comment. If the resignation is accepted, the constitution would require Mr Hariri to stay on until a new administration is established. | President Aoun is still to comment. If the resignation is accepted, the constitution would require Mr Hariri to stay on until a new administration is established. |
| What is the state of the protests? | What is the state of the protests? |
| The prime minister's announcement came as the situation on the ground turned increasingly violent, reflecting the deep-seated schism in Lebanese society. | The prime minister's announcement came as the situation on the ground turned increasingly violent, reflecting the deep-seated schism in Lebanese society. |
| The militant Shia group, Hezbollah, which has dominated the coalition government led by Mr Hariri, a Sunni, has recently hardened its stance against the protests. | The militant Shia group, Hezbollah, which has dominated the coalition government led by Mr Hariri, a Sunni, has recently hardened its stance against the protests. |
| On Tuesday, black-clad men loyal to Hezbollah and another Shia group, Amal, ransacked a protest camp in central Beirut, chanting slogans, setting tents on fire and beating anti-government demonstrators. A roadblock set up by protesters was also attacked. | On Tuesday, black-clad men loyal to Hezbollah and another Shia group, Amal, ransacked a protest camp in central Beirut, chanting slogans, setting tents on fire and beating anti-government demonstrators. A roadblock set up by protesters was also attacked. |
| Riot police and troops fired tear gas to separate the rival groups. | Riot police and troops fired tear gas to separate the rival groups. |
| The protesters remained defiant in central Beirut. Less than an hour after being attacked they erupted into applause at the announcement of Mr Hariri's resignation. | The protesters remained defiant in central Beirut. Less than an hour after being attacked they erupted into applause at the announcement of Mr Hariri's resignation. |
| One demonstrator, Tima Samir, told Agence France-Presse: "This resignation is welcome but it is not enough... We want the entire system to change and we'll stay on the streets until all our demands are met." | One demonstrator, Tima Samir, told Agence France-Presse: "This resignation is welcome but it is not enough... We want the entire system to change and we'll stay on the streets until all our demands are met." |
| So what happens next? | So what happens next? |
| Analysis by the BBC's Rami Ruhayem in Beirut | Analysis by the BBC's Rami Ruhayem in Beirut |
| Here in the capital, protesters cheered loudly as the PM announced his resignation. But the announcement brought little clarity on the way forward. | Here in the capital, protesters cheered loudly as the PM announced his resignation. But the announcement brought little clarity on the way forward. |
| Mr Hariri said he'd reached a dead end, implying he's pulling back, leaving the mess to his governing coalition partners. But then he said that "we" need a way to fix the economy and protect the country, implying that whatever happens next, he will be part of it. | Mr Hariri said he'd reached a dead end, implying he's pulling back, leaving the mess to his governing coalition partners. But then he said that "we" need a way to fix the economy and protect the country, implying that whatever happens next, he will be part of it. |
| The president will now have to consult parliament to form another government - but parliament is made up of the same factions that are in the outgoing coalition. | The president will now have to consult parliament to form another government - but parliament is made up of the same factions that are in the outgoing coalition. |
| Whatever they do, they will do it under intense pressure - from the protest movement and from a deepening economic and financial crisis. | Whatever they do, they will do it under intense pressure - from the protest movement and from a deepening economic and financial crisis. |
| How did we get to this point? | How did we get to this point? |
| The crisis began on 17 October when the government announced a new daily tax for calls made via voice-over-internet-protocol (Voip), which is used by apps including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Apple's FaceTime. | The crisis began on 17 October when the government announced a new daily tax for calls made via voice-over-internet-protocol (Voip), which is used by apps including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Apple's FaceTime. |
| The government backtracked within hours but the protests were soon under way and quickly burgeoned. | The government backtracked within hours but the protests were soon under way and quickly burgeoned. |
| As one demonstrator said: "We are not here over the WhatsApp, we are here over everything: over fuel, food, bread, over everything." | As one demonstrator said: "We are not here over the WhatsApp, we are here over everything: over fuel, food, bread, over everything." |
| Last week, Mr Hariri and his coalition, including Hezbollah, agreed to a plan of reforms to try to placate protesters, but their campaign continued. | Last week, Mr Hariri and his coalition, including Hezbollah, agreed to a plan of reforms to try to placate protesters, but their campaign continued. |
| On Friday, Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said "someone is trying to pull [Lebanon]... towards a civil war", suggesting the protests were funded by foreign powers and indicating a harsher policy towards the protesters. | On Friday, Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said "someone is trying to pull [Lebanon]... towards a civil war", suggesting the protests were funded by foreign powers and indicating a harsher policy towards the protesters. |
| Hezbollah had argued against Mr Hariri's resignation, saying it could result in a void in Lebanese government. | Hezbollah had argued against Mr Hariri's resignation, saying it could result in a void in Lebanese government. |
| The BBC's Martin Patience says many in the population are tired of economic stagnation, endemic corruption and a lack of basic public services. | The BBC's Martin Patience says many in the population are tired of economic stagnation, endemic corruption and a lack of basic public services. |
| He adds that the developments will alarm the West, which regards Lebanon as an island of relative stability in a turbulent Middle East. | He adds that the developments will alarm the West, which regards Lebanon as an island of relative stability in a turbulent Middle East. |
| The power-sharing agreement that ended the country's civil war 30 years ago has kept the peace, but it has failed to halt the slide towards economic crisis. | The power-sharing agreement that ended the country's civil war 30 years ago has kept the peace, but it has failed to halt the slide towards economic crisis. |