Days after an enormous explosion that swept through the city of Beirut, killing at least 171 people and injuring thousands, the Lebanese cabinet resigned on Monday, acknowledging widespread anger over government inactivity and mismanagement.
But members of the opposition, activists who have long protested against a fractured political system that won in corruption and patronage, and residents are angry at the failures of the government that many believe lead to the deadly explosion , worrying that the movement was not enough to bring about real change.
For now, the government has moved to the status of caregiver, with neither rescue and recovery efforts, nor important infrastructure such as hospitals and the country’s main port destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced.
So what happens next? Here are the key points.
A new government does not mean elections.
When Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced that the entire cabinet would resign Monday night, he noted that the government would remain in a caring role until a new cabinet was appointed. But many encourage in the meantime for a long period of political paralysis.
Mr. Diab himself accused in his dismissal the political class of trying to shift the blame for the ongoing economic crisis and corruption of the country on his cabinet. Instead, he said, deep-seated corruption was “rooted in every part of the state.”
For now, the old cabinet can continue to convene, but without the power to propose laws or issue decrees.
Under Lebanon’s current system, a new cabinet can be appointed by President Michel Aoun in consultation with parliament, without new elections. But the president has largely remained silent, so far only acknowledging the dismissal. And horse-trading within the sectarian parliament, the system at the root of many Protestant complaints, is likely to be painfully slow.
Lina Khatib, head of the Middle East and North Africa program at the British International Policy Institute Chatham House, said that pressure from Protestants could secure the formation of a new government, but did not necessarily mean that change would come.
“The most important question is whether the new cabinet will just be a version of the old one,” she said. While it is likely that the incoming government will include cabinet seats for those outside the ruling class, there is little chance that they will hold enough power to effect real change.
“The prevailing status quo is not ready to relinquish power completely,” she said.
Aid and rescue operations are in the air.
Even before the explosion, an economic crisis in Lebanon had pushed up commodity prices sharply, leaving many starving.
Now it is unclear who will take into account the long-term process of restoration and reconstruction in Beirut, and throughout the country. With an estimated $ 10 billion to $ 15 billion in damage, the process could take years, according to the governor of Beirut.
Basma Tabaja, the deputy head of the International Committee of the Red Cross’ delegation in Lebanon, said in a statement that almost half of the city had “significant damage” to the blast.
“Nearly 300,000 people lost their homes and property in the blink of an eye,” she said. “There is overwhelming grief for those who have been lost, and those who have survived now need enormous support. Many were left with life-changing injuries, and for others, this blow on top of so many other crises is too much to treat alone. “
But despite millions of dollars in international funds that promise to help with the renovation, and potential donors involved, many are worried that dysfunction and corruption will limit aid services. Until now, armies of volunteers have taken the lead in clearing the streets of rubble, by sweeping away broken glass and rubble. Many have so far described those who did not receive much support from the authorities.
Dozens of people with family members missing since last Tuesday’s blast also described minor support, including Elie Hasrouty, whose father, Ghassan, was working in the harbor at the time of the blast.
“The authorities delayed the start of the search for the missing at the wheat silos of the Beirut port and then we received the surprising news that the search for survivors had ended without us having our proof of their fate,” he said. he wrote in a post on Twitter. “Forgive enough responsibility!”
The dismissal of the government did not do much to quell the protests.
Protests continued furiously on the streets of Lebanon on Monday night, with activists saying the attacks did not meet their demands that the political elite seize power.
Many believed that the dismissal of the Cabinet left the country behind in an accident that occurred last fall. In October, the protests forced the dismissal of Prime Minister Saad Hariri. He was just replaced by Mr. Diab until February.
But not much has changed since then to the top of Lebanon’s government, as well as the country’s most powerful politicians, and many of them gained prominence during a brutal 15-year civil war that ended in 1990.
More protests were planned for Tuesday night. But at the root of the problem is a system built to balance power between rival religious and ethnic groups instead of producing an effective government, said Maha Yahya, the director of the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center. Another “national unity” government, which prioritizes representation of all political parties, would likely fail again, she said.
“The cabinet never worked as a cohesive and cohesive government,” Ms. Yahya said. “The international community should understand that this is one of the reasons why we are where we are.”
To restore trust, the government would need to include people who would inspire the trust of both the Lebanese people and the international community, she said.
What comes next?
Members of Lebanon’s parliament, whose chamber was damaged in the blast, met again next Thursday, although a new government may still be a long way off.
For now, much of the aid in Beirut will continue to fall to non-governmental organizations, local volunteers and international aid groups. And while many hope for a future with a functioning government at the helm, the need for relief is immediate.
But the long-term future of the operating system is now on the horizon, not just the immediate emergency response. And many believe that the country needs to look beyond its ruling elite for real change.
Paula Yacoubian, an independent member of the Lebanese parliament who recently resigned, said that even when the government was in full control, it did not take care of its citizens, leaving much of the responsibility to civilian groups. society and international donors, whom they called the “true mantle caregivers of displaced and injured after this disaster.”
“What we really need is simple: an honest independent competent government,” she said. ‘The aftermath of the disaster showed us who can really serve and lead this nation. We have to choose from them. ”
