Lebanon: Politicians Warn against Total Collapse, Call for Swift Cabinet Formation

Arab World

May 28th, 7:50am

Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat

A team of engineers removes a concrete wall from a road that leads to the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, May 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Lebanese politicians are calling for the adoption of immediate measures to stop the deterioration of the country’s economic and social conditions. The head of the Kataeb Party, MP Sami Gemayel, called for the formation of a government with exceptional features. “We are heading towards collapse because they spent most of the reserves to protect themselves in the elections. If an exceptional government is not formed at an exceptional speed that enjoys exceptional confidence and takes exceptional steps, Lebanon will go into great chaos,” Gemayel wrote on Twitter, calling on everyone to assume their responsibilities. For his part, elected deputy Ashraf Rifi, said on his Twitter account: “The living conditions are no longer bearable... There is an urgent and primary need to support 550,000 Lebanese families, as well as the millions of Lebanese” who are threatened with poverty. He continued: “The rest of the money was spent on futile adventures. Immediate support for the people must be approved, and we will introduce a bill in this regard.” In turn, the elected deputy of the Lebanese Forces party, Ziad Hawat, called for the formation of a productive and effective government. “Have mercy on the people, after poverty and hunger are killing the Lebanese in every sense of the word. Change the approach and speed up the formation of a government, which would translate the results of the elections that expressed the desire for change and sovereignty.” These warnings come with the worsening conditions in various the sectors. The Ministry of Economy announced on Friday an increase in the price of bread, due to “the rapid rise in the exchange rate of the dollar, as well as the significant increase in the price of fuel, which directly affects the price of flour production and the costs of bread and transportation, in addition to the rise in the price of wheat in global markets as a result of the Ukrainian crisis.”

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3670601/lebanon-politicians-warn-against-total-collapse-call-swift-cabinet-formation