Lebanon protesters demand elections ahead of confidence vote

Demonstrators clashed with security forces in Beirut, rejecting the country's new government-led Prime Minister Hassan Diab as it began to try and secure a vote of confidence.

Protesters called for early parliamentary elections amidst tear gas and water cannon in Lebanon on Tuesday (February 11).

Prime Minister Hassan Diab, whose government took office last month, read out a policy statement calling for some "painful steps" to address Lebanon's financial crisis.

Lebanon's crisis came to a head in 2019, as slowing flows of capital from abroad led to a hard currency crunch and protests erupted against the ruling elite.

One protester told Reuters "we have not seen anything good happen to us, all they have done is wreak more havoc, steal more and put in their pockets."