The government on Thursday survived a vote of no confidence in parliament, amid a walkout by March 14 MPs and the presence of the Phalange bloc.

The vote of no confidence was requested by Phalange bloc MP Sami Gemayel, who withheld confidence in the government along with only two other lawmakers.

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, ex-PM Fouad Saniora, on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s government as “not useful for anything,” accusing it of “jeopardizing the country.”

“Miqati bowed to regional desires that coincided with the interests of” Hizbullah upon the formation of the government, Saniora said, during the third round of parliamentary debate over the government’s policies.

MP Mohammed Raad, head of Hizbullah’s Loyalty to Resistance bloc, on Thursday strongly defended Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s government against the opposition’s fierce criticism, during the third round of parliamentary debate over the government’s policies.

Hitting back at lawmakers who criticized Hizbullah’s controversial arsenal of weapons in their speeches, Raad said: “We reiterate that questioning the Resistance's legitimacy is against national principles, as dialogue needs confidence and building confidence requires putting an end to lies and to scaring people with the Resistance and its arms.”

Phalange bloc MP Sami Gemayel on Thursday announced that he withholds confidence from Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s government, during the third round of parliamentary debate over the government’s policies.

“We withhold confidence from this government and this is our democratic duty and everyone must shoulder their responsibilities,” Gemayel said.

Around 20 inmates rioted at the Baalbek prison to protest the delay in their trials, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

“The prisoners are rioting in protest against the postponement of their trials, which is delaying the verdicts, as well as the absence of any medical care,” the NNA said.

March 14 opposition lawmakers continued their criticism of the cabinet on the third and last day of a parliamentary session aimed at assessing the performance of Premier Najib Miqati’s government.

Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan said in his statement to the assembly that almost a year after its formation and after holding 50 sessions, “this cabinet was mainly ruled by disputes between its members.”

The March 8 camp MPs continued their defense of the government during the third day of a parliament session aimed at assessing its performance.

Development and Liberation bloc MP Yassine Jaber kicked off the session by saying that the Lebanese people “have grown fed up with the political debates outside and within the government.”

Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali stressed on Thursday that President Bashar Assad is fully implementing reforms, saying it is necessary to confront any power that doesn’t want the regime to play its role.

“Most Syrians support the reforms and the dialogue that President Assad and the Syrian leadership called for,” Ali told reporters after holding a meeting with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh.

Three judges from the Justice Palace in Baabda received death threats on Thursday.

Investigations however revealed the threats to be a hoax.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea said Thursday that Lebanon’s development and economic problems would not be resolved as long as the “evil” continues to grip the country.

“We won’t be able to achieve our objective in terms of a capable and effective institutional state before the eradication of the evil,” Geagea told a visiting delegation.