Lebanese demonstrators hit the streets again on Tuesday evening to demand a new government, facing off in some areas with security forces attempting to re-open blockaded roads.

An unprecedented <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/roads-blocked-as-lebanon-protesters-battle-on-259828">protest movement</a> has gripped&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;since October 17, demanding an overhaul of a political class that has remained largely unchanged since the end of the country's 1975-1990 civil war.

Rallies took place across the country, from Tripoli in the north to Sidon in the south, with demonstrators carrying Lebanese flags and chanting "Revolution! Revolution!"

Protesters gathered on Tuesday night in a square in Tripoli, hours after the army prevented them from closing public institutions and banks, as they had on the previous day.

An AFP correspondent in Tripoli said young demonstrators paraded through the city banging pots and pans to express their solidarity with Sidon, where the army had broken up a protest camp in the morning.

"I'm banging pots to protest against the political class that doesn't think about our future. It's time for them to wake up and listen to us," said Abdul Ghani, 19, a protester in Tripoli.

"We won't leave the streets until they've all fallen."

Throughout the day, the army and security forces worked to open roads closed by small groups of demonstrators to exert pressure on the authorities.&nbsp;

An AFP photographer saw a group of protesters north of&nbsp;Beirut&nbsp;clash with soldiers trying to open a road, with Army forces detaining several people.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Protesters have criticised the government for delays in forming a new cabinet after Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hariri-ready-to-be-lebanese-prime-minister-again-but-with-conditions-report-258873">Hariri quit </a>on October 29 in response to the mass protests, but President Michel Aoun has yet to begin consultations necessary to appoint a new prime minister.

"They should quickly form a government that respects the rights of the people and show good will... and regain the trust of the public and investors," said demonstrator Hussein in central&nbsp;Beirut.&nbsp;

Protesters have called for a government to be formed of technocrats from outside the political elite, followed by early elections and a law to seize embezzled funds and tackle corruption.&nbsp;

Lebanese demonstrators hit the streets again on Tuesday evening to demand a new government, facing off in some areas with security forces attempting to re-open blockaded roads.

Lebanese demonstrators hit the streets again on Tuesday evening to demand a new government, facing off in some areas with security forces attempting to re-open blockaded roads. An unprecedented protest movement has gripped Lebanon since October 17, demanding an overhaul of a political class that has remained largely unchanged since the end of the country's 1975-1990 civil war. Rallies took place across the country, from Tripoli in the north to Sidon in the south, with demonstrators carrying Lebanese flags and chanting "Revolution! Revolution!" Protesters gathered on Tuesday night in a square in Tripoli, hours after the army prevented them from closing public institutions and banks, as they had on the previous day. An AFP correspondent in Tripoli said young demonstrators paraded through the city banging pots and pans to express their solidarity with Sidon, where the army had broken up a protest camp in the morning. "I'm banging pots to protest against the political class that doesn't think about our future. It's time for them to wake up and listen to us," said Abdul Ghani, 19, a protester in Tripoli. "We won't leave the streets until they've all fallen." Throughout the day, the army and security forces worked to open roads closed by small groups of demonstrators to exert pressure on the authorities. An AFP photographer saw a group of protesters north of Beirut clash with soldiers trying to open a road, with Army forces detaining several people. Protesters have criticised the government for delays in forming a new cabinet after Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned. Hariri quit on October 29 in response to the mass protests, but President Michel Aoun has yet to begin consultations necessary to appoint a new prime minister. "They should quickly form a government that respects the rights of the people and show good will... and regain the trust of the public and investors," said demonstrator Hussein in central Beirut. Protesters have called for a government to be formed of technocrats from outside the political elite, followed by early elections and a law to seize embezzled funds and tackle corruption.

Lebanese protest again as army works to open blocked roads

Demonstrators in Lebanon tried to block key roads Monday after a weekend of mass rallies confirmed that political promises had failed to extinguish the unprecedented protest movement.

In a now almost daily game of cat-and-mouse with riot police, increasingly organised protesters erected temporary roadblocks using dumpsters and parked vehicles.

In the capital Beirut, they sat cross-legged on a key flyover and gathered near the Central Bank, which protesters blame for fuelling Lebanon's economic crisis.

Schools had been due to reopen on Monday after weeks of sporadic closures, but some remained shuttered as much of the country remained on partial lockdown for a third Monday.&nbsp;

Unprecedented cross-sectarian demonstrations have gripped Lebanon since October 17, demanding a complete overhaul of a political system deemed inefficient and corrupt.

The nationwide street movement has brought down the government, in what is regarded as its first major win.

Protesters have however vowed to keep up the street movement until all their demands are met, including the formation of a technocratic government.

Yusef Fadel, a demonstrator, ruled out the possibility that the next government could also include party loyalists.&nbsp;

"I reiterate, we are demanding a technocratic government and not a techno-partisan one," said the 25-year-old who holds a masters degree in finance but remains unemployed.

"We need new blood."

Lebanon's president has said the country's next cabinet should include ministers picked on skills, not political affiliation, seemingly endorsing protester demands.&nbsp;

On Sunday, tens of thousands took to the streets, calling for an end to President Michel Aoun's tenure, as well as the removal of a political system dominated by the same figures and families since the end of the civil war.

The mobilisation followed a large rally organised by Aoun supporters in front of the presidential palace.

Demonstrators in Lebanon tried to block key roads Monday after a weekend of mass rallies confirmed that political promises had failed to extinguish the unprecedented protest movement.

Demonstrators in Lebanon tried to block key roads Monday after a weekend of mass rallies confirmed that political promises had failed to extinguish the unprecedented protest movement. In a now almost daily game of cat-and-mouse with riot police, increasingly organised protesters erected temporary roadblocks using dumpsters and parked vehicles. In the capital Beirut, they sat cross-legged on a key flyover and gathered near the Central Bank, which protesters blame for fuelling Lebanon's economic crisis. Schools had been due to reopen on Monday after weeks of sporadic closures, but some remained shuttered as much of the country remained on partial lockdown for a third Monday. Unprecedented cross-sectarian demonstrations have gripped Lebanon since October 17, demanding a complete overhaul of a political system deemed inefficient and corrupt. The nationwide street movement has brought down the government, in what is regarded as its first major win. Protesters have however vowed to keep up the street movement until all their demands are met, including the formation of a technocratic government. Yusef Fadel, a demonstrator, ruled out the possibility that the next government could also include party loyalists. "I reiterate, we are demanding a technocratic government and not a techno-partisan one," said the 25-year-old who holds a masters degree in finance but remains unemployed. "We need new blood." Lebanon's president has said the country's next cabinet should include ministers picked on skills, not political affiliation, seemingly endorsing protester demands. On Sunday, tens of thousands took to the streets, calling for an end to President Michel Aoun's tenure, as well as the removal of a political system dominated by the same figures and families since the end of the civil war. The mobilisation followed a large rally organised by Aoun supporters in front of the presidential palace.

Roads blocked as Lebanon protesters battle on

Demonstrators kept up their roadblocks across Lebanon on Thursday, as their unprecedented protest movement demanding systemic political change entered its third week.

Traffic came to a standstill on major highways, as protesters erected metal barricades.

They waved through security and medical personnel, in a scene that has become routine since a proposed tax on calls via messaging apps first drew protesters onto the streets on October 17.

"I don't want to stand down," said Tarek Madhoun, 38, who was blocking a road in central Beirut.

The protest movement has swelled into a popular drive to remove a political elite which has remained largely unchanged since a devastating civil war ended three decades ago.

Euphoric protesters experiencing a rare moment of national unity have pilloried politicians of all parties, calling for better public services, an end to rampant corruption and a complete overhaul of Lebanon's sectarian-based politics.

Bowing to street pressure, Prime Minister Saad Hariri submitted his government's resignation on Tuesday.

The announcement led to an easing of the two-week-old lockdown, with some main roads briefly reopening.

Banks had been due to reopen on Friday but protesters stayed on the streets, keen to use one of the only forms of leverage they have to press their demands.

"They thought our demands ended when the government resigned," said Ghadi, 21, from central Beirut.&nbsp;

"But we still have many more demands... including a technocratic and independent government, a new electoral law and a new parliament."

Embattled President Michel Aoun is due to deliver a speech at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) marking the third anniversary of his election as head of state.

On Wednesday, Aoun promised a "clean government", saying the protest movement "paved the way for big reforms".

Forming a government in Lebanon can take months, with every sectarian and party leader seeking to protect their own communal interests.

Demonstrators kept up their roadblocks across Lebanon on Thursday, as their unprecedented protest movement demanding systemic political change entered its third week.

Demonstrators kept up their roadblocks across Lebanon on Thursday, as their unprecedented protest movement demanding systemic political change entered its third week. Traffic came to a standstill on major highways, as protesters erected metal barricades. They waved through security and medical personnel, in a scene that has become routine since a proposed tax on calls via messaging apps first drew protesters onto the streets on October 17. "I don't want to stand down," said Tarek Madhoun, 38, who was blocking a road in central Beirut. The protest movement has swelled into a popular drive to remove a political elite which has remained largely unchanged since a devastating civil war ended three decades ago. Euphoric protesters experiencing a rare moment of national unity have pilloried politicians of all parties, calling for better public services, an end to rampant corruption and a complete overhaul of Lebanon's sectarian-based politics. Bowing to street pressure, Prime Minister Saad Hariri submitted his government's resignation on Tuesday. The announcement led to an easing of the two-week-old lockdown, with some main roads briefly reopening. Banks had been due to reopen on Friday but protesters stayed on the streets, keen to use one of the only forms of leverage they have to press their demands. "They thought our demands ended when the government resigned," said Ghadi, 21, from central Beirut. "But we still have many more demands... including a technocratic and independent government, a new electoral law and a new parliament." Embattled President Michel Aoun is due to deliver a speech at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) marking the third anniversary of his election as head of state. On Wednesday, Aoun promised a "clean government", saying the protest movement "paved the way for big reforms". Forming a government in Lebanon can take months, with every sectarian and party leader seeking to protect their own communal interests.

Roads blocked in Lebanon as protests enter third week

Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is likely to resign, two official sources said on Tuesday, amid unprecedented protests against a ruling elite many accuse of corruption and leading Lebanon towards economic collapse unseen since the 1975-90 civil war.

There was no immediate comment from Hariri's office. He will deliver an address at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT), an official Twitter account said.

His resignation would defy the powerful Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah, whose leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has twice said he was against such a step, citing the risk of a dangerous void.

In the street, supporters of Hezbollah and its Shi'ite ally Amal forced protesters from a roadblock they had set up in Beirut, tearing down their tents and fighting with them, forcing the police to intervene, the first such incident in the capital.

The Hezbollah and Amal supporters fanned out in the downtown area shouting "Shia, Shia" in reference to themselves and cursing protesters who have been calling for revolution.

Hariri last week sought to defuse popular anger through a set of reform measures agreed with other groups in his coalition government, including Hezbollah to, among other things, tackle corruption and long-delayed economic reforms.

But with no immediate steps towards enacting these steps, they did not satisfy demonstrators whose demands include the resignation of his coalition government.

One of the sources, a senior official from outside Hariri's Future Party, told Reuters the premier would "most probably" announce the government resignation on Tuesday. The report weighed on Lebanese dollar bonds.

The nationwide protests have paralysed Lebanon at a time of deep economic crisis - banks were closed for a 10th day on Tuesday along with schools and businesses, with the pegged Lebanese pound weakening on a black market.

Fears of economic meltdown

A report from credit rating agency S&amp;P last week sounded the alarm over the financial situation. Central bank governor Riad Salameh called on Monday for a solution to the crisis in days to restore confidence and avoid a future economic meltdown.

Hariri has not spoken in public since October&nbsp;21 when he announced reforms including steps to fix gaping holes in the finances of one of the world's most heavily indebted states.

He has been pressing his feuding governing partners, including Hezbollah and President Michel Aoun, to carry out a major cabinet reshuffle to appease the protesters, but has run into strong opposition, political sources said.

A major dispute has flared between Hariri and other groups in his cabinet over the past 48 hours with his opponents accusing him of siding with protesters and not allowing security forces to remove them from the streets, the sources said.

Anti-government protesters had shut the Ring Bridge in central Beirut to traffic for several days, part of an extraordinary wave of unrest against Lebanese politicians over rampant corruption and dire economic conditions.

Pro-Hezbollah and Amal crowds chanted in support of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the head of Amal, as they scuffled with protesters.

It was the first such attempt to unblock roads in the capital by force. Lebanese police deployed between the groups.

Security forces have been trying to persuade protesters to vacate roads across Lebanon but have orders not to use force.

Nasrallah called last week called for the roads to be cleared and told his supporters not to go into the protests which have paralysed the country since Oct. 17.

Hezbollah's al-Manar television, broadcasting Tuesday's clashes live, described them as "big fight" after an "attempt by citizens to open the road".

Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is likely to resign, two official sources said on Tuesday, amid unprecedented protests against a ruling elite many accuse of corruption and leading Lebanon towards economic collapse unseen since the 1975-90 civil war.

Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is likely to resign, two official sources said on Tuesday, amid unprecedented protests against a ruling elite many accuse of corruption and leading Lebanon towards economic collapse unseen since the 1975-90 civil war. There was no immediate comment from Hariri's office. He will deliver an address at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT), an official Twitter account said. His resignation would defy the powerful Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah, whose leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has twice said he was against such a step, citing the risk of a dangerous void. In the street, supporters of Hezbollah and its Shi'ite ally Amal forced protesters from a roadblock they had set up in Beirut, tearing down their tents and fighting with them, forcing the police to intervene, the first such incident in the capital. The Hezbollah and Amal supporters fanned out in the downtown area shouting "Shia, Shia" in reference to themselves and cursing protesters who have been calling for revolution. Hariri last week sought to defuse popular anger through a set of reform measures agreed with other groups in his coalition government, including Hezbollah to, among other things, tackle corruption and long-delayed economic reforms. But with no immediate steps towards enacting these steps, they did not satisfy demonstrators whose demands include the resignation of his coalition government. One of the sources, a senior official from outside Hariri's Future Party, told Reuters the premier would "most probably" announce the government resignation on Tuesday. The report weighed on Lebanese dollar bonds. The nationwide protests have paralysed Lebanon at a time of deep economic crisis - banks were closed for a 10th day on Tuesday along with schools and businesses, with the pegged Lebanese pound weakening on a black market. Fears of economic meltdown A report from credit rating agency S&P last week sounded the alarm over the financial situation. Central bank governor Riad Salameh called on Monday for a solution to the crisis in days to restore confidence and avoid a future economic meltdown. Hariri has not spoken in public since October 21 when he announced reforms including steps to fix gaping holes in the finances of one of the world's most heavily indebted states. He has been pressing his feuding governing partners, including Hezbollah and President Michel Aoun, to carry out a major cabinet reshuffle to appease the protesters, but has run into strong opposition, political sources said. A major dispute has flared between Hariri and other groups in his cabinet over the past 48 hours with his opponents accusing him of siding with protesters and not allowing security forces to remove them from the streets, the sources said. Anti-government protesters had shut the Ring Bridge in central Beirut to traffic for several days, part of an extraordinary wave of unrest against Lebanese politicians over rampant corruption and dire economic conditions. Pro-Hezbollah and Amal crowds chanted in support of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the head of Amal, as they scuffled with protesters. It was the first such attempt to unblock roads in the capital by force. Lebanese police deployed between the groups. Security forces have been trying to persuade protesters to vacate roads across Lebanon but have orders not to use force. Nasrallah called last week called for the roads to be cleared and told his supporters not to go into the protests which have paralysed the country since Oct. 17. Hezbollah's al-Manar television, broadcasting Tuesday's clashes live, described them as "big fight" after an "attempt by citizens to open the road".

Lebanese PM Saad al-Hariri likely to resign amid protests: Sources

Lebanon's highest Christian authority called on Wednesday (October 23) for a change in government to include qualified technocrats and urged the president to begin talks to address the demands of demonstrators in the streets for a seventh day.

Lebanon's most senior Christian cleric steps into crisis

Lebanon approved an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-hariri-agrees-to-reforms-amid-nationwide-protests-over-economic-crisis-257191">emergency reform package </a>on Monday in response to protests over dire economic conditions, but the moves did not go far enough to persuade demonstrators to leave the streets or investors to halt a plunge in its bonds.

Hundreds of thousands of people have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-sweep-lebanon-as-fury-at-ruling-elite-grows-over-economic-corruption-256839">flooded the streets</a> since Thursday, furious at a political class they accuse of pushing the economy to the point of collapse. Roads were blocked for a fifth day across the country.

Schools, banks and businesses were closed, and Banks are expected to remain shut on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, in a televised speech, said the new measures might not meet the protesters' demands but were a start towards achieving some of them. The government must work to recover trust, he said.

"You are the compass and ... your movement frankly is what led us to this decision today," added Hariri, who said big steps had been taken towards fighting corruption and waste.

But despite the reforms, Lebanon's dollar-denominated bounds suffered hefty losses on Monday following sharp drops on Friday. Some sank to record lows.

Investors said the turmoil showed Lebanon was running out of time to fix its economic problems.

"It is just a mess - and it looks like it is more and more unsustainable. I don't think it is a final nail in the coffin, but it is looking ominous," said Kevin Daly, Senior Investment Manager, Emerging Market Debt at Aberdeen Standard Investments.

"There has been fiscal adjustment, but it has not been enough."

The reforms included the symbolic halving of the salaries of ministers and lawmakers, as well as moves towards implementing long-delayed measures vital to putting the public finances on a sustainable path.

Maya Mhana, a teacher listening to the speech in Beirut with other protesters, was not convinced. "We are remaining in the streets, we don't believe a single word he said," she said.

Protesters sang into the night in Beirut and continued to demonstrate in other parts of the country.

"We don't believe that they can change in two days," said Fadi Abou Dargham, a 55-year-old jeweller.

The protests have been extraordinary because of their size and geographic reach in a country where political movements are normally divided on sectarian lines and struggle to draw nationwide appeal.

Lebanon has one of the world's highest levels of government debt as a share of economic output. The government includes most major parties, run by politicians widely perceived to have mobilised state resources and influence for their own gain.

The economy has been hit by political paralysis and regional conflicts, compounded by strains in the financial system that have risen as inward capital flows have slowed. Unemployment among the under 35s runs at 37 per cent.

Lebanese have started to feel pressures in the financial system more acutely of late, with dollars becoming harder to obtain at the official exchange rate. The pound, pegged at its current rate for two decades, has been under pressure.

International donors last year pledged $11 billion to help Lebanon finance capital investment, conditional on reforms. Hariri said the new decisions would satisfy donors and the government would approve within three weeks the first phase of the capital investment programme.

The government approved a 2020 budget with no new taxes and a deficit of around 0.6 per cent&nbsp;of national output, Hariri said, describing this as a historic achievement. The deficit for 2019 is around 7 per cent&nbsp;of GDP.

Lebanon's large banking sector would contribute 5.1 trillion Lebanese pounds ($3.4 billion) to deficit reduction, including through an increase in the tax on bank profits, Hariri said.

Steps included abolishing the information ministry and some other state bodies.

The government would accelerate the long-delayed reform of the state-run power sector, which drains $2 billion from the treasury per year while failing to deliver enough power for Lebanese who depend on private generators to fill the gap.

Nassib Ghobril, Byblos Bank chief economist, said the reforms sounded good on paper but there were "a lot of question marks". He criticised the increased taxes on banks, which were hit by a tax hike in 2018. Rampant evasion must be fought.

"The approach seems to have not changed," he said. "The government considers the private sector only as a source of tax revenues instead of working to improve the investment climate, the business climate and raising the economy's competitiveness."

Lebanon approved an emergency reform package on Monday in response to protests over dire economic conditions, but the moves did not go far enough to persuade demonstrators to leave the streets or investors to halt a plunge in its bonds.

Lebanon approved an emergency reform package on Monday in response to protests over dire economic conditions, but the moves did not go far enough to persuade demonstrators to leave the streets or investors to halt a plunge in its bonds. Hundreds of thousands of people have flooded the streets since Thursday, furious at a political class they accuse of pushing the economy to the point of collapse. Roads were blocked for a fifth day across the country. Schools, banks and businesses were closed, and Banks are expected to remain shut on Tuesday. Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, in a televised speech, said the new measures might not meet the protesters' demands but were a start towards achieving some of them. The government must work to recover trust, he said. "You are the compass and ... your movement frankly is what led us to this decision today," added Hariri, who said big steps had been taken towards fighting corruption and waste. But despite the reforms, Lebanon's dollar-denominated bounds suffered hefty losses on Monday following sharp drops on Friday. Some sank to record lows. Investors said the turmoil showed Lebanon was running out of time to fix its economic problems. "It is just a mess - and it looks like it is more and more unsustainable. I don't think it is a final nail in the coffin, but it is looking ominous," said Kevin Daly, Senior Investment Manager, Emerging Market Debt at Aberdeen Standard Investments. "There has been fiscal adjustment, but it has not been enough." The reforms included the symbolic halving of the salaries of ministers and lawmakers, as well as moves towards implementing long-delayed measures vital to putting the public finances on a sustainable path. Maya Mhana, a teacher listening to the speech in Beirut with other protesters, was not convinced. "We are remaining in the streets, we don't believe a single word he said," she said. Protesters sang into the night in Beirut and continued to demonstrate in other parts of the country. "We don't believe that they can change in two days," said Fadi Abou Dargham, a 55-year-old jeweller. The protests have been extraordinary because of their size and geographic reach in a country where political movements are normally divided on sectarian lines and struggle to draw nationwide appeal. Lebanon has one of the world's highest levels of government debt as a share of economic output. The government includes most major parties, run by politicians widely perceived to have mobilised state resources and influence for their own gain. The economy has been hit by political paralysis and regional conflicts, compounded by strains in the financial system that have risen as inward capital flows have slowed. Unemployment among the under 35s runs at 37 per cent. Lebanese have started to feel pressures in the financial system more acutely of late, with dollars becoming harder to obtain at the official exchange rate. The pound, pegged at its current rate for two decades, has been under pressure. International donors last year pledged $11 billion to help Lebanon finance capital investment, conditional on reforms. Hariri said the new decisions would satisfy donors and the government would approve within three weeks the first phase of the capital investment programme. The government approved a 2020 budget with no new taxes and a deficit of around 0.6 per cent of national output, Hariri said, describing this as a historic achievement. The deficit for 2019 is around 7 per cent of GDP. Lebanon's large banking sector would contribute 5.1 trillion Lebanese pounds ($3.4 billion) to deficit reduction, including through an increase in the tax on bank profits, Hariri said. Steps included abolishing the information ministry and some other state bodies. The government would accelerate the long-delayed reform of the state-run power sector, which drains $2 billion from the treasury per year while failing to deliver enough power for Lebanese who depend on private generators to fill the gap. Nassib Ghobril, Byblos Bank chief economist, said the reforms sounded good on paper but there were "a lot of question marks". He criticised the increased taxes on banks, which were hit by a tax hike in 2018. Rampant evasion must be fought. "The approach seems to have not changed," he said. "The government considers the private sector only as a source of tax revenues instead of working to improve the investment climate, the business climate and raising the economy's competitiveness."

Facing protests, Lebanon approves emergency economic reforms

Lebanese protesters were expected to return to the streets for a fifth day Monday, with Prime Minister Saad <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-hariri-agrees-to-reforms-amid-nationwide-protests-over-economic-crisis-257191">Hariri holding a cabinet meeting</a> to try to calm the unprecedented demonstrations.

Hundreds of thousands of people from across Lebanon's sectarian divides rallied against corruption and the entire political class Sunday, the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tens-of-thousands-demonstrate-again-as-lebanons-government-frays-257113"> largest such demonstrations </a>in the country for years.

Early Monday morning protesters began to block main roads and prevent employees going to work, while calls on social media urged people to boycott work.

Banks, universities and schools closed their doors Monday, with Hariri expected to offer reforms in a bid to stem the anger.

"It's a day of destiny for us. All our hard work and efforts in previous days and years were to get us to this moment," said Roni al-Asaad, a 32-year-old activist in central Beirut.

"If they could have implemented these reforms before, why haven't they? And why should we believe them today?"

At the nerve centre of the demonstrations near the country's houses of government in central Beirut, volunteers were once again collecting rubbish from the streets, many wearing face masks and plastic gloves.

The protests have grown steadily since public anger first spilled onto the streets Thursday evening in response to a proposed tax on calls via WhatsApp and other messaging services.

While the government quickly dropped that plan, the leaderless protests <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protests-sweep-lebanon-as-fury-at-ruling-elite-grows-over-economic-corruption-256839">morphed into demands</a> for a sweeping overhaul of the political system, with grievances ranging from austerity measures to poor infrastructure.

Hariri had given his coalition partners three days to support reforms he said were crucial to get the economy back on track.

On Sunday evening a cabinet official told AFP that the parties had agreed.

The cabinet will hold a meeting chaired by President Michel Aoun at 0730 GMT&nbsp;to discuss the reforms.

Demonstrators said Hariri's proposals would not be enough, with demands for the entire political class to resign.

"All of them are warlords," said Patrick Chakar, 20. "We waited 30 years or more for them to change and they didn't."

More than a quarter of Lebanon's population lives below the poverty line, the World Bank says, while the political class has remained relatively unchanged since the end of a devastating 15-year civil war in 1990.

Lebanon ranked 138 out of 180 in Transparency International's 2018 corruption index, and residents suffer chronic electricity and water shortages.

Lebanese media hailed the demonstrations.

Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to Shiite Muslim militant party Hezbollah, published a picture of protesters carrying a giant flag on its front page with a commentary on "Test Day: Power or People?".

The French-language newspaper L'Orient-Le Jour said "The hour of truth has arrived," while the English-language The Daily Star said: "Lebanon's only paths: reform or abyss."

Lebanese protesters were expected to return to the streets for a fifth day Monday, with Prime Minister Saad Hariri holding a cabinet meeting to try to calm the unprecedented demonstrations.

Lebanese protesters were expected to return to the streets for a fifth day Monday, with Prime Minister Saad Hariri holding a cabinet meeting to try to calm the unprecedented demonstrations. Hundreds of thousands of people from across Lebanon's sectarian divides rallied against corruption and the entire political class Sunday, the largest such demonstrations in the country for years. Early Monday morning protesters began to block main roads and prevent employees going to work, while calls on social media urged people to boycott work. Banks, universities and schools closed their doors Monday, with Hariri expected to offer reforms in a bid to stem the anger. "It's a day of destiny for us. All our hard work and efforts in previous days and years were to get us to this moment," said Roni al-Asaad, a 32-year-old activist in central Beirut. "If they could have implemented these reforms before, why haven't they? And why should we believe them today?" At the nerve centre of the demonstrations near the country's houses of government in central Beirut, volunteers were once again collecting rubbish from the streets, many wearing face masks and plastic gloves. The protests have grown steadily since public anger first spilled onto the streets Thursday evening in response to a proposed tax on calls via WhatsApp and other messaging services. While the government quickly dropped that plan, the leaderless protests morphed into demands for a sweeping overhaul of the political system, with grievances ranging from austerity measures to poor infrastructure. Hariri had given his coalition partners three days to support reforms he said were crucial to get the economy back on track. On Sunday evening a cabinet official told AFP that the parties had agreed. The cabinet will hold a meeting chaired by President Michel Aoun at 0730 GMT to discuss the reforms. Demonstrators said Hariri's proposals would not be enough, with demands for the entire political class to resign. "All of them are warlords," said Patrick Chakar, 20. "We waited 30 years or more for them to change and they didn't." More than a quarter of Lebanon's population lives below the poverty line, the World Bank says, while the political class has remained relatively unchanged since the end of a devastating 15-year civil war in 1990. Lebanon ranked 138 out of 180 in Transparency International's 2018 corruption index, and residents suffer chronic electricity and water shortages. Lebanese media hailed the demonstrations. Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to Shiite Muslim militant party Hezbollah, published a picture of protesters carrying a giant flag on its front page with a commentary on "Test Day: Power or People?". The French-language newspaper L'Orient-Le Jour said "The hour of truth has arrived," while the English-language The Daily Star said: "Lebanon's only paths: reform or abyss."

Lebanon cabinet set for key meeting as protests swell

Lebanese government agrees to put reforms in action after protests

Tens of thousands of angry Lebanese took to the streets on October 18 blocking roads and burning tyres in a second day of nationwide protest to demand the removal of a political elite they accuse of looting the economy to the point of collapse.

Lebanon up in arms: Tyres Burnt, roads blocked

Thousands of people demonstrated across Lebanon against the government's management of an economic crisis in one of the biggest protests in years, leading the Cabinet to pull a proposed new levy on WhatsApp calls.

Lebanon up in arms: Protests against Austerity measures

Anti government protests sweep Lebanon amid economic emergency

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