Lebanon President Asks Hariri Gov’t to Hold Off Quitting

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun on Wednesday acknowledged the government's resignation following almost two weeks of unprecedented protests but asked to wait until a new cabinet is formed before quitting.

Aoun "asked the government to continue to conduct affairs until a new cabinet is formed", his office said in a statement, referencing the constitutional provision for cases in which the government steps down.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his cabinet's resignation on Tuesday, the 13^th day of a wave of protests triggered by a proposed tax on calls via free phone applications.

Though that proposal was then scrapped, the demonstrations swelled into a broad cross-sectarian call for an end to a political system viewed as corrupt and inefficient. Many of the country's ruling elite hail from political parties or families that have been in power since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.