Hezbollah group ministers and allies walked out of a cabinet meeting in Beirut, aimed at weighing the country’s escalating garbage crisis, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday, August 25th. This reflects the government’s lingering dysfunction despite mass protests.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam had called for the emergency meeting after a weekend of clashes between security forces and demonstrators protesting against corruption and poor public services.
The six ministers withdrew four hours into the meeting on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil said he was pulling out because of a “theater” being performed with regards to the trash issue.
Lebanon’s multi-sectarian power-sharing government has been without a president for more than a year, and parliament has extended its term twice without elections.