Lebanon's Entire Government Has Resigned Following Deadly Beirut Explosion

The entire government of Lebanon has resigned following the blast at a Beirut port that killed hundreds and injured thousands last Tuesday.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab addressed the nation at 7.30 pm local time (5.30pm BST) confirming the resignation of all ministers.

During the address, Mr Diab blamed the recent disaster on endemic corruption and demanded that those responsible be held accountable.

He said: "The bad smell is everywhere. Today, we are here at this particular point, at this earthquake that hit Lebanon with all the social, human and economic and national consequences.

"Our main goal, our main aim, is to deal with these consequences, together with a quick investigation that will hold everyone responsible if they have committed mistakes.

"We are now talking to the people. Take these people to the court, we need to change. We are with the ambitions of the Lebanese people to bring the change.

"We need to move forward to more transparency, to a country that respects its people, to a country that lives with transparency, to a country that lives with equal policies, but right now we are not.

"At this particular moment, we have to go back to the people and fight with them against corruption. We need to open the door for national salvage, national rescue.

"We need to be part of the people. That's why I declare the resignation of this government."

PA

The Lebanese government has been under mounting pressure to step down amid uproar from citizens who hold it accountable for the deadly blast.

Nassif Hitti was the nation's minister for foreign affairs until he resigned a day before the explosion. Speaking to the BBC, he said the devastating explosion was a wake-up call for the Lebanese people.

He said: "The Beirut blast reveals the kind of structural corruption, negligence, personalised politics, lack of responsibility and lack of accountability of the Lebanese system.

"This tragedy is an indicator, unfortunately, of the crisis we have - that we have to stop it and start [anew]."

PA

More than 200 people are believed to have been killed by the blast, while around 5,000 were injured. The huge explosion was caused by the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored unsafely at Beirut's port for six years.

The Lebanese government had long been accused of corruption and neglect prior to the explosion, which has prompted furious protests across the country.

The nation was already suffering a severe economic downturn which will only be worsened by the blast, which in itself could cost $3bn (£2.3bn) to repair, officials have estimated.

Topics: World News

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey