Lebanese Forces ministers withdraw from cabinet over energy reforms

Ministers from the Lebanese Forces party have withdrawn from recent cabinet sessions, a move they describe as a technical protest rather than a political attempt to weaken the government. The withdrawal follows months of inaction regarding proposals from Energy Minister Joe Phady aimed at addressing the electricity crisis.

Minister of Industry Joe Issa El Khoury stated that the decision was driven by a need to correct government spending. He highlighted discrepancies in the budget, noting that while the Ministry of Energy's budget was reduced by 7.6%, other sectors saw significant increases. Specifically, budgets for the Ministry of Health rose by 89%, and Social Affairs increased by 52%.

Key technical proposals from the Energy Ministry that have reportedly stalled include a plan to collect $250 million in arrears from public institutions through installment plans and the implementation of a flexible tariff system. Additionally, the government has declined to suspend taxes on gasoline, citing the need for treasury revenue despite the impact of rising fuel costs on citizens.