12/17/2018, 11.06
LEBANON
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Beirut, hundreds of citizens protest political stalemate and economic crisis

Protests, led by Communist Party, destined to continue and increase. In imitation of the "yellow vests", the demonstrators wore red scarves and sang anticorruption slogans and chants, as well as against the lack of public services and the growing debts. The internal divisions on Syria weigh on the political scene.

Beirut (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Hundreds of Lebanese took to the streets yesterday, to protest against the political stalemate that has - in fact - blocked all the attempts at the birth of a new government, now seven months after the political elections. A blockade sharpened by internal divisions and personal selfishness between the various parties and the different factions, on which the Patriarch Maronite Card Beshara Raï has recently intervened, according to whom the country is "hostage to political militias".

After Jordan, which in recent days saw impressive public demonstrations that - for the first time - were addressed openly against the monarchy, the public protests over the weekend touched Lebanon.

The leaders of the Communist Party, promoted the demonstrations in the streets of the capital - that some compared to the "yellow vests" in Paris. Those taking part were citizens now frustrated by an economic crisis and increasingly serious politics. Wearing red scarves and raising flags of the same color, the demonstrators chanted slogans against corruption, the lack of public services and the unstoppable growth of debt, which exceeded 150% of GDP.

A demonstrator showed a sign calling for "Take to the streets: Enough words!". A citizen named Osama Assad says that the lack of a government "doubles the risks" for the maintenance of the country system. Meanwhile, the Communist leader Hanna Ghari confirms that the protest continues and is set to increase in the coming days.

The divisions between the various parties - especially Shiites and Sunnis - on the war in neighboring Syria and on other strategic issues at regional and international level are targeted.

Since last May Lebanon has been waiting for the creation of a strong and united government, able to overcome the many threats and challenges that await the country: from economic difficulties to the immigration crisis; from growing poverty to the employment problem that affects young people with greater incidence. A situation, denounces the Lebanese Church, of serious difficulty, exacerbated by the war in neighboring Syria, which has triggered an unprecedented humanitarian emergency.

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