Kataeb's Head of Public Policy and Legislation, Lara Saade, explained on Tuesday that the entire government is deemed to have resigned immediately after the Prime Minister tenders his resignation and the President has no role to play in accepting or refusing it.

“Article 69 of the Constitution, which stipulates that the government is considered resigned should the Prime Minister submits his resignation, is clear and unequivocal,” Saade said in an interview on Sky News Arabia.

“This cabinet to take on a caretaker role following Hariri’s resignation and the Parliament in consequence will have to hold exceptional sessions until a new government is formed and a vote of confidence in Parliament is secured,” she elaborated.

“The PM’s submission of his resignation letter to the President is a mere formality”

“Article 53 of the Constitution stipulates that the President has to hold binding Parliamentary consultations straight after the Prime Minister’s resignation to nominate a new Prime Minister. As a result, the assigned Prime Minister then will confer with Parliamentary blocs to form the Cabinet in consultation with the president who has to issue a decree of a new government formation,” she clarified.

“The new government will then draft a ministerial manifesto within 30 days to be later on discussed by the Parliament which has to encompass popular movement’s demands and then the new government has to secure a vote of confidence in the Parliament,” she added.

She highlighted the need for the President and the Parliament to appoint a new independent neutral Prime Minister in respect to people’s demands or else street protests will be reignited.

“The biggest challenge facing the upcoming government will be its ability to safeguard financial and economic stability,” she said, noting that it has to obtain the people and the international community’s trust first.