At Lebanon's national music conservatory, pianos collect dust and classrooms sit empty, making the institution another casualty of an economic collapse that has crippled the public sector and hampered education.

Toufic Kerbage, 65, watched the value of his pay packet and pension evaporate after the Lebanese economy began melting down in 2019, taking the local currency and people's savings with it.

Qatar has renewed its attempt to convince the Lebanese parties to endorse the presidential nomination of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, several newspapers said on Saturday.

European investigators have grilled Lebanon's finance minister as part of a probe into the wealth of the country's central bank chief, his former boss, a judicial official told AFP.

Hezbollah has reactivated communication channels with the Free Patriotic Movement to convince it to secure quorum for Suleiman Franjieh’s election as president, a media report said.

“Until now, Hezbollah’s efforts have run into the rejection of FPM chief Jebran Bassil, but Bassil has shown positivity about leaving the freedom of choice to his MPs to attend any presidential election session called for by Speaker Nabih Berri,” al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Friday.

French presidential adviser Patrick Durel contacted Hezbollah last weekend and reassured it that “Riyadh has shown positivity towards the election as president of Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh,” a media report said.

“In return, Durel received similar positive signs from Hezbollah about accepting any premier that Saudi Arabia would choose to lead the government,” al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Friday.

MPs Melhem Khalaf and Najat Aoun Saliba of the Change bloc on Friday criticized a decision by the judiciary’s disciplinary council to expel Mt. Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun from the judiciary over alleged violations related to her work.

“Judge Ghada Aoun has dared to open some files at a time others have refrained from that,” Khalaf and Saliba said in a joint tweet.

The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammed Raad, on Friday called on the Lebanese parties to engage in dialogue to reach an agreement aimed at “picking the most suitable president for our country during this stage.”

“We want to preserve you and preserve everyone’s interests,” Raad added, addressing political rivals.

The Free Patriotic Movement staged a rally overnight after the judiciary’s disciplinary council decided to expel Mt. Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun over alleged violations related to her judicial work.

The National News Agency said FPM supporters rallied outside Higher Judicial Council chief Judge Suheil Abboud’s house in the Keserwan town of Ballouneh, in support of Judge Aoun and in rejection of what they called an “arbitrary and unfair ruling” against her.

Saudi Arabia has decided to “turn a blind eye” to the reportedly looming election of Suleiman Franjieh as president, a media report said.

“Riyadh’s stance is leaning to establishing a settlement that would allow Lebanon to cross the collapse phase,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Friday, citing multiple sources.

A European judicial team on Friday questioned Lebanon’s caretaker Finance Minister Youssef Khalil in a case against Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh.

Khalil was questioned about his work as a close associate of Salameh while working at the Central Bank, before he became a Cabinet minister, officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing probe.