Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate resigns after failing to form a new government.
Mustapha Adib, Lebanon’s new prime minister-designate, resigned Saturday (September 26). Prior to that, he was unable to form a new government cabinet to replace the one that resigned after a massive explosion at Beirut’s port last month.
In a televised address on Saturday, Adib said, “I am unable to continue with the task of forming a government, and I apologize for that.”
Adeeb had been negotiating with various Lebanese political factions but was unable to reach a consensus. His resignation was seen as a setback for French President Emmanuel Macron, who was trying to help Lebanon form a new government. An official in Macron’s government said that Adib’s resignation was a “collective betrayal” of Lebanese political parties. He said that “there must be a government that can accept international aid” and that “France will not abandon Lebanon.”
Adeeb’s opponents accused him of failing to consult more closely with political factions on forming a new cabinet, but former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, who supports Adeeb, said those who were happy about it “will bite their fingers and regret it.
Lebanon’s August 4 port explosion killed at least 200 people, injured thousands more, and left more than 250,000 people homeless. Many have blamed Lebanon’s political elite as a major cause of the explosion, which led to political and economic turmoil in the country.
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