Lebanon: Saad Hariri gives up forming a government

Published on : 07/15/2021 – 15:49

Saad Hariri announced Thursday, July 15, that he was giving up forming a government in Lebanon following an interview with President Michel Aoun which lasted barely 20 minutes.

“It is obvious that we will not be able to get along with his excellence the president,” the Prime Minister-designate told reporters after this meeting. “This is why I am withdrawing from forming a government.”

Saad Hariri, who proposed a team of 24 ministers on Wednesday, was appointed Prime Minister in October 2020, but failed to convince President Aoun that this team could launch essential reforms to unlock crucial international aid in particular.

With AFP and Reuters