US, France call on Lebanese leaders to urgently form 'credible' government

The United States and France have called on Lebanese leaders to urgently form a "credible and effective" government in the country. In a joint statement released by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on the occasion of the six-month anniversary of the Beirut blast, urged all stakeholders in the country to act upon their commitments and form a credible government as soon as possible. Following the Beirut blast and the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister Hassan Diab, Lebanon has been left without a government. 

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"The six-month anniversary of this tragic event underscores the urgent and vital need for Lebanese stakeholders to finally act upon the commitments they have made to form a credible and effective government, and to pave the way for the implementation of necessary reforms, in accordance with the aspirations of the Lebanese people. Such concrete actions remain absolutely crucial for the engagement of France, the United States, and their regional and international partners to provide additional, longer-term structural support to Lebanon," the joint statement by the US and France read. 

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Lebanon political stalemate 

After Hassan Diab resigned last August, Lebanese President Michel Aoun called on diplomat Mustapha Adib to serve as his Prime Minister. However, Adib resigned three weeks later after he failed to form a government because of the sectarian nature of politics in Lebanon, which saw factions squabble over ministerial portfolios. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri was designated the new head of government in October. Hariri has also failed to form his cabinet as of now and is facing similar disagreements over ministerial berths. 

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The international community is calling for a non-sectarian government in Lebanon, which they say will bring the much-needed reforms in the country. Lebanon's parliament is divided into religious factions with seats equally distributed between Christians and Muslims, including further divisions between the sects of these religions such as Maronite Catholic, Protestant, Sunni, Shi'ite, etc. The parliamentary division in the former French colony was created after the 1989 Taif Agreement, which removed the Christian majority and distributed seats equally. 

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(Image Credit: AP)