Upon being designated Prime Minister, Saad Hariri promised the nation, via televised address, that his next steps of forming a new Cabinet of nonpartisan specialists will be carried out swiftly.
The new members should work to enact reforms and rescue the country’s economy out of its miserable state by putting forward the French initiative.
For the French initiative, the Lebanese government should implement reforms that will help gain support from the international community, including almost $300 million in aid promised to Lebanon during the donors’ conference organized by France.
During his address, Hariri promised the people of Lebanon that he will work to stop the country’s collapse that is impacting the economy, the society, and the security, and that he will rebuild what was destroyed in the blast.
“I will focus first on rapidly forming a government, because time is running and this is the last and only opportunity for our beloved country,” he said.
Hariri is back only one year after resigning amid pressure from the October 17 Revolution that has been protesting governmental corruption. In addition, it is his fourth time to serve as PM.
To the majority of the population, it feels like nothing has changed, that Lebanon is stuck in a loop. Anger and disappointment are felt heavy across the country with the people of the revolution up to reignite protests.
His return comes after ‘technocrat’ PM Hassan Diab resigned in the wake of the Aug. 4 explosion, with no reforms done during his tenure, and after the PM-designate Adib failed to form a Cabinet of independent specialists.
Hariri is now faced with the same task, promising to do it quickly, but that is easier said than done.
