Lebanon’s protesters, who have been demanding an overhaul of the government, remained without a leadership on the 10th day of demonstrations that have rocked the country.
“Setting now a political leadership for the revolution would work as a double-edge sword,” Dr. Fadi Ahmar, a political researcher and a member of the movement, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday.
He said it was now time to demand the government’s resignation, adding that the protesters would then start forming a leadership.
Despite the protests being unorganized, some protesters have held talks with a number of independent political figures to plan what should come next.
Former Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday that he has met with some members of the protest movement.
“What is happening is greater than a revolution. It is a major shift in the history of Lebanon,” Charbel said.
However, he explained that the resignation of the government means there would be a winning team (protesters) and a losing team (state), and therefore there must be an exit that pleases both sides while protecting Lebanon from chaos.
Charbel proposed to the movement a three-way plan: First, to accept reform measures suggested by Prime Minister Saad Hariri and give him an end-of-year deadline to implement them.
Second, the government resigns after implementing the reforms. Then a cabinet of technocrats, excluding any political party, would be formed on the basis of putting the right person in the right position.
Third, the new ministers should pledge not to run in the next parliamentary elections.
“We should not ignore the initiative of President Michel Aoun who agreed there’s a need to review the current government,” Charbel said.
