20+ World Leaders Who Resigned For Less Serious Things Than The Beirut Port Blast

Throughout history, there have been world leaders who resigned for reasons far less serious than the tragic Beirut Port explosion , be it due to revolutions, or over allegations of corruption, or of old age.

Here are a few notable ones:

#1 King Edward VIII

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In 1936, King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the Dominions abdicated to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, despite lots of disapproval. In other words, he stepped down for the love of a woman.

#2 Winston Churchill

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In 1955, Churchill, who led Britain through WWII, resigned as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom because of his declining health. He was 80 years old. For reference, Lebanon's President Michel Aoun is 86.

#3 Charles de Gaulle

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In 1969, Charles de Gaulle resigned as the President of France after losing a constitutional referendum.

#4 Spiro Agnew

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In 1973, Spiro Agnew resigned as the Vice President of the United States as a result of a financial scandal and corruption allegations. He was convicted on charges of bribery, tax evasion, and money laundering.

#5 Richard Nixon

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In 1974, facing impeachment after the Watergate scandal, he resigned as the President of the United States .

#6 Kakuei Tanaka

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In 1974, he resigned as the Prime Minister of Japan over allegations of corruption.

#7 Golda Meir

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In 1947, she resigned as Prime Minister amid growing unpopularity and criticism that she led the Israeli army into a war it was not prepared for. Note, in Lebanon , the Interior Minister believes that women cannot be prime ministers .

#8 Yitzhak Rabin

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Rabin, who became Prime Minister of the Israeli government after Meir, resigned in the wake of a financial scandal in 1977.

#9 Margaret Thatcher

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Thatcher, nicknamed the Iron Lady, surprised everyone when she resigned as the British Prime Minister in 1990 after failing to win the majority in the Conservative Party’s annual vote for the selection of a leader.

Note, in Lebanon , the Interior Minister believes that women cannot be prime ministers .