Geagea Urges Formation of 'Neutral Technocrat Government'

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday said protesters' ambitions exceed the reforms proposed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri and called for "a new political life" and a "neutral technocrat cabinet."

“For the past three years, we have done everything and they were accusing us of obstructing their work. We want the incumbent presidential tenure to be the best presidential tenure in Lebanon and we wanted Hariri’s government to make achievements,” Geagea said in an interview with al-Jadeed television, hours after he announced the resignation of the LF’s four ministers.

“It is no longer beneficial to take part in the government, which can no longer do anything. A new and different government must be named,” Geagea added, noting that the LF “took part in only two governments” and that even rivals acknowledge his party’s “integrity.”

“We opposed all decisions that had to do with people’s plight,” he pointed out.

He added that any technocrat cabinet should be “neutral” and independent from “the current ministerial and parliamentary majority.”

“It should harmonious, unlike the current government which has ‘100 heads,’” Geagea said.

Warning that “the coming will be worse” should there be any delay in taking initiatives, the LF leader called on Hariri to “seek a new government,” adding that he still expects the resignation of the Progressive Socialist Party’s ministers.

Asked about the unprecedented protests that have engulfed Lebanon, Geagea said: “The ongoing protests came from the people and as Lebanese Forces, we must be by their side, seeing as it’s too late to talk about zero taxes” in Hariri’s proposed reform paper.

He added: “A reform paper cannot come from a non-reformative government. This government is inefficient and cannot achieve any result.”