Lebanon: Hezbollah Calls to "Give Government a Chance"

The powerful Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah called this Sunday, February 16, to " give a chance " to the new government to allow it to prevent the " collapse " of the country shaken by a serious economic crisis and an unprecedented anti-power protest.

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Hassan Diab was tasked with forming a new government after resigning in late October under street pressure from his predecessor Saad Hariri. Rejected by the street, his government obtained the confidence of Parliament on Tuesday. It had been formed at the end of weeks of negotiations orchestrated by the Shiite Hezbollah, heavyweight of the Lebanese political life, and its allies, in particular the party of president Michel Aoun.

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The demonstrators, mobilized since October 17, demand a team of technocrats and independents, and castigate the whole of the traditional political class accused of corruption and incompetence.

" We must give the current government a chance, " said Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in a televised address broadcast on giant screens in front of his supporters. He asked that " a reasonable period of time " be given to the government, which it said faced " impossible tasks ", to enable it to prevent the " collapse, bankruptcy " of the country.

" It is everyone's responsibility to help this government, at least to let it work and not to fight it, " said the Hezbollah chief. " The economic, financial and monetary situation is serious ".

Lebanon heavily indebted

Lebanon is collapsing under a debt of around 92 billion dollars, or more than 150% of the GDP. In March, the state must repay 1.2 billion dollars of Eurobonds - bonds issued in dollars - maturing.

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In recent months, local banks have imposed unprecedented draconian restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers, in a country where the greenback is used daily like the Lebanese pound.

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The Lebanese are very often forced to turn to exchange offices, where in fact the national currency has experienced a sharp depreciation.

The World Bank warned in November that half of the population in Lebanon could soon live below the poverty line.