Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has resigned from his position, around nine months after his appointment to form a new government.
Hariri announced that he had submitted his resignation following a meeting with President Michel Aoun in the presidential palace in Baabda on Thursday afternoon.
During the announcement, Hariri deemed it “clear” that the situation regarding government formation had not changed and that, “we will not agree with the President of the Republic.”
“May God help the country,” he said after announcing his resignation.
The aim of the Thursday meeting was for Aoun to inform Hariri of his position regarding the 24-minister Cabinet lineup the latter had submitted on Wednesday, which Aoun just rejected on Thursday, reportedly demanding adjustments.
The resignation of Hariri came despite earlier reports that Aoun had been “positively awaiting” the meeting.
Nonetheless, Hariri‘s move does not come as a complete surprise, as it was hinted at by Future Movement Vice President Mustafa Alloush a few days ago.
The resigned official had recently arrived from Egypt, where he had met Egyptian President Abel Fattah Al-Sisi in what was said to be his final attempt at ending the government deadlock in Lebanon.
Related: What’s Next In Lebanon Now That Hariri Has Resigned.
