Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his Health Minister Hamad Hassan in Beirut on Monday
Photo: MOHAMED AZAKIR / REUTERSLess than a week after the devastating explosion in the capital, Beirut, the government of Lebanon is on the brink of collapse. Prime Minister Hassan Diab wanted to declare his resignation on Monday evening, said Health Minister Hassan Hamad, according to reports from the news agencies dpa and Reuters, after a cabinet meeting.
After the disaster in Beirut, there were violent protests against the government, which was already under great pressure because of the ongoing economic crisis. Several cabinet members had recently resigned.
The disaster last Tuesday killed at least 160 people and injured thousands more. 300,000 people were left homeless as a result of the accident. According to government reports, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored unsecured for years had exploded. The exact causes of the explosions are still unclear.
Many Lebanese have long accused the political elite of corruption and incompetence. They also blame the government for the devastating explosions. Protests have been going on in Beirut for days.
Icon: The mirrormes / dpa / AFP / AP / Reuters