PSP Walks Out of Cabinet, Says Some 'Still Living in Pre-Demos Era'

The two ministers of the Progressive Socialist Party walked out of an emergency cabinet session on Monday in protest at government’s refusal to endorse some of the party’s economic and financial reform proposals, as unprecedented anti-government protests engulfed Lebanon for a fifth day.

The party’s ministers “fought a reform battle inside cabinet,” Industry Minister Wael Abu Faour said at a press conference.

“What happened today was par excellence a reform battle between two approaches: the approach of the Lebanese (protesters) on the streets and the approach that believes that what’s happening on the streets is an event that will end,” Abu Faour added.

Stressing that the PSP’s ministers “left the session but not the government,” the minister said “some of the decisions taken might be beneficial,” in reference to a sweeping reforms paper presented by Prime Minister Saad Hariri and endorsed by cabinet in Monday’s session.

But Abu Faour noted that the adopted paper is “not sufficient” to appease the angry protest movement.

The minister also slammed the Free Patriotic Movement’s ministers for “rejecting the appointment of a regulatory commission for oil and a board of directors for Electricite du Liban.”

“Some are still living the mentality of oppression and monopolization of the government’s decisions and the FPM has vetoed some candidates for EDL’s board of directors,” he lamented.