'Major Explosion Disaster' in Lebanon, Senior Government Officials Resign One After Another

Nazem, Lebanon Minister of Justice, Resigns on the 10th
Environment and Information Ministers Also Resign in Succession
Lebanese Political Turmoil Intensifies...Ruling Party on the Defensive

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] In Lebanon, where a massive explosion disaster occurred, senior government officials have consecutively announced their resignations, and political turmoil is expected to continue for the time being.

Major U.S. foreign media reported that Marie Claude Nazem, Lebanon's Minister of Justice, resigned on the 10th (local time) in connection with the explosion disaster. Minister Nazem is classified as a Christian Maronite. She is the third minister to resign following the massive explosion disaster in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on the 4th.

On the previous day, the 9th, Damianos Katar, Minister of Environment, and Manal Abdel-Samad, Minister of Information, announced their intention to resign. Minister Katar stated in a press release, "I have decided to resign due to the tremendous disaster," and said he would step down as a sign of solidarity with the victims. Minister Abdel-Samad also apologized, saying, "I did not meet the people's expectations," and announced her resignation to respond to the people's demand for change.

The consecutive resignations of ministers have led to speculation that Hezbollah, the Islamic Shia faction leading the current government, is under pressure. According to the Lebanese media 'Daily Star,' Prime Minister Hassan Diab reportedly requested the ministers to withhold their resignations. In Lebanon, if seven ministers, equivalent to one-third of the cabinet, resign, the cabinet must be reorganized. Eight Lebanese parliamentarians also announced their resignation related to the explosion disaster.

Some point out that the Lebanese administration is virtually paralyzed, and the identification of the victims has not been properly conducted. Marwan Aboud, Governor of Beirut, said, "There are many victims whose identities cannot be confirmed," and added that they are truck drivers or foreign workers who were working at the accident site.

Meanwhile, Lebanese citizens held fierce anti-government protests on the 8th and 9th, blaming the explosion disaster on government negligence and poor management. The current Lebanese cabinet was formed last October after months of anti-government protests against tax plans on messenger programs such as WhatsApp. However, it failed to achieve results in economic recovery and suffered a major blow with the explosion disaster.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.