President of the National Dialogue Party, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, said that Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s resignation was a courageous step. He expressed hope that the President of the Republic, the Speaker of Parliament, and the protesters in the streets would respond with equally courageous steps to prevent further economic and security deterioration. He considered the resignation a first step toward meeting the demands of the protesters gathered in the squares.

Makhzoumi stressed the importance of swiftly forming a government of specialized technocrats, independent of the existing political alignments. Its primary mission, he said, should be to fulfil the hopes of the Lebanese people, particularly the protesting youth, by recovering the Lebanese people’s money, combating corruption, preparing for parliamentary elections, halting the economic decline, and revitalizing state institutions.