Lebanon goes to polls in March as economic meltdown spirals
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[October 19, 2021]
By Maha El Dahan and Laila Bassam
BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanon's parliament
voted on Tuesday to hold legislative elections on March 27, giving Prime
Minister Najib Mikati's government only a few months to try to secure an
IMF recovery plan amid a deepening economic meltdown.
Lebanon's financial crisis, which the World Bank labelled one of the
deepest depressions of modern history, had been compounded by political
deadlock for over a year before Mikati put together a cabinet alongside
President Michel Aoun.
The currency has lost 90% of its value and three-quarters of the
population have been propelled into poverty. Shortages of basic goods
such as fuel and medicines have made daily life a struggle.
Mikati, whose cabinet is focused on reviving talks with the
International Monetary Fund, had vowed to make sure elections are held
with no delay and Western governments urged the same.
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But a row over the probe into last year's Beirut port blast that killed
over 200 people and destroyed large swathes of the capital is
threatening to veer his cabinet off course.
Some ministers, aligned with politicians that lead investigator Judge
Tarek Bitar is seeking to question over the explosion, last week
demanded that the judge be removed from the probe.
Mikati has since said the cabinet will not convene another meeting until
an agreement is reached on how to deal with the crisis.
Minister of Culture Mohamed Mortada, who has reportedly criticised
Bitar's handling of the probe as being politicised, told reporters he
would attend any session of the cabinet Mikati called.
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![](../images/101921pix/news_y49.jpg)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri holds a parliamentary
session at UNESCO Palace in Beirut, Lebanon October 19, 2021.
REUTERS/Aziz Taher
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He dismissed reports he had demanded Bitar's removal
and said he had just made observations about his performance.
On Thursday, Beirut witnessed the worst street violence in over a
decade with seven people killed in gunfire when protesters from the
Hezbollah and Amal Shi'ite movements made their way to demonstrate
against Bitar.
The bloodshed, which stirred memories of the 1975-1990 civil war,
added to fears for the stability of a country that is awash with
weapons.
The early election date - elections were originally expected to be
held in May - was chosen in order not to clash with the holy Islamic
fasting month of Ramadan.
Once a new parliament is elected, the Mikati cabinet will only act
in a caretaker role until a new prime minister is given a vote of
confidence and tasked with forming a new government.
(Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Laila Bassam; additional reporting
by Lilian Wagdy in Cairo; Editing by Alison Williams and Nick
Macfie)
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