Mohamed Abu Basha, an economist at Cairo-based investment bank EFG-Hermes, said politicians might reach a compromise to resolve the country’s immediate economic crisis, “which has been the equation governing the country for a few years now”.
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During another largely peaceful rally by hundreds Tuesday, some protesters moved closer to the security forces, prompting a sudden rise in tempers.
“Those who did this do not represent the Lebanese people”, said Salah Noureddine, one of a handful of people protesting Monday morning.
“The protests were triggered by the trash crisis but the people we’ve been speaking to say that was the straw that broke the camel’s back… they point to power shortages, water shortages, and inherent corruption within the state”. “Don’t be afraid, my son”, she said, “don’t be afraid”.
But it was unclear whether Tuesday’s cabinet session could solve the problems that brought protesters out for a rare display of non-sectarian anger on a social issue.
In Lebanon, government is at a standstill, with no elected president, a moribund parliament, and warring political and religious factions.
On Saturday, at least 16 were injured during clashes with police, according to a Red Cross official, while the Internal Security Forces said more than 35 of its members were also hurt.
Protesters now are demanding that the country’s top politicians resign, saying they are not fit to rule to country. He said the aim continues to be “toppling an entire corrupt political class”.
“In this regard, we have worked and will work on protecting protesters… but we are also compelled to protect public institutions at all times and are within the law to prevent infiltrators from assaulting legislative and executive institutions and private property”.
On Saturday and Sunday night, police fired tear gas and water cannons at the protesters, battling them in the streets of Beirut in dramatic clashes.
The pattern was repeated on Sunday night, with an initially peaceful protest descending into violence after dark.
Organisers blamed unaffiliated “troublemakers” and condemned the attacks on police.
Salam warned that his 18-month-old government would become irrelevant if it failed to take action to address the public’s concerns.
Demonstrations in Beirut are expected to resume on 27 August, after two days of what the activist described as “a warrior’s rest”. He said that if a cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday was not productive on issues including a tender to decide on a new refuse collection company, “there would be no necessity for the government after it”. Parliament has extended its mandate twice – the last election took place in 2009.
The country has long suffered chronic electricity and water problems and has seen its resources stretched further by an influx of more than a million Syrian refugees.
In that context, calls for the government’s resignation have divided even some protesters, who fear a political void.
“I’m not at all attached to this rotten regime, but if you bring it down, what would you have instead?”
“Lebanon on brink of chaos”, the headline of the Daily Star newspaper said.
“There are attempts by some political parties to reclaim some of the movement and some young people have been expressing themselves violently”.
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Although Salam’s government has elements from both camps, Hezbollah regards the prime minister as an ally of Saudi Arabia.
