TLTP
\nBEIRUT
\nLebanon\u2019s President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that he would shoulder his responsibility in designating a prime minister to form a new government that must enact reforms to help the country out of the financial crisis.
\nIn a televised speech, Aoun blamed other officials for blocking reforms, including a forensic audit of the central bank and an overhaul of the power sector, but stopped short of naming anyone. He pledged to confront anyone who seeks to block reform through his party, the Free Patriotic Movement, which has faced similar accusations of obstructionism from other political factions.
\n\u201cWhere are all the reforms? Where are all the clauses that were presented to the heads of [parliamentary] blocs and parties [though] nothing was implemented?\u201d he said.
\n\u201cThe silence of any official, and lack of cooperation in the forensic audit [of the central bank], proves he is a partner in corruption and waste,\u201d he added.
\nForeign donors have made it clear there will be no aid unless the heavily indebted state launches steps to tackle entrenched waste and graft. Aoun said that he understood the \u201cpain and resentment\u201d of the Lebanese but blamed his predecessors for the country\u2019s year-long economic crisis that has pushed over half the population into poverty.
\n\u201cThe truth is that I must remind you that some of those who ruled Lebanon for decades (\u2026) raised resounding slogans that remained without any content and were like promises meant to anesthetizes the Lebanese people\u201d he said, seemingly referring to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri\u2019s political party, the Future Movement.
\nHariri and his later father Rafic served as Prime Minister for nearly 14 years in total from the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.
\nHariri resigned on October 29, 2019, after nearly two weeks of unprecedented nation-wide protests caused by the country\u2019s economic crisis.
\nHariri is the only candidate for the premiership and is expected to be chosen by parliamentary blocs during binding consultations on Thursday.
\nLocal media reported that Aoun had initially delayed the consultations last week because of the refusal of Lebanon\u2019s main Christian parties, including the FPM, to endorse Mr Hariri. According to Lebanon\u2019s sectarian power-sharing agreement, the President is Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister Sunni Muslim and the Parliament Speaker Shiite Muslim.
\nLebanon has been without a government since August 11, when Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned in the wake of a massive explosion at Beirut port that killed 202 people.
\nNominated on August 31, Prime Minister designate Mustafa Adib stepped down nearly one month ago because of political infighting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TLTP BEIRUT Lebanon\u2019s President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that he would shoulder his responsibility in designating a prime minister to form a new government that must enact reforms to help the country out of the financial crisis. In a televised speech, Aoun blamed other officials for blocking reforms, including a forensic audit of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-151857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n