The General Confederation of Lebanon Workers, on Thursday, called for a one-day nationwide general strike to protest the economic and political woes.
The strike, which has also gained the support of some political parties who are in power, was called to protest the continuous deterioration of the financial situation and the delay in forming a government.
Several streets across the capital and some key highways in the south and north of the country were blocked.
In a speech, the Head of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers, Bechara al-Asmar, called on Lebanese politicians to stop their bickering and divisions and form a national salvation government.
“It is sad what is happening in Lebanon.
“You are killing the Lebanese people,” he said, adding “We are in front of an inevitable catastrophe”.
“Stop and start making concessions and form the government to tackle the deteriorating economic situation,” al-Asmar said.
Lebanon is suffering one of the world’s worst economic crises in more than 150 years, according to the World Bank.
The Lebanese pound has lost about 90 per cent of its value against the dollar since 2019.
The country has been under pressure from international financing institutions to introduce economic reforms and act against corruption amid a political deadlock on the formation of a new government.
Meanwhile, France called for international aid for Lebanon’s army at an UN-supported video conference on Thursday.
The aim of the conference was to develop a coordinated response to the “urgent needs” of the armed forces, said the Defence Ministry in Paris.
Lebanon’s army chief, Joseph Aoun, had warned that soldiers could go hungry because their wages were worthless and less, due to the financial situation.
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In a statement, Gen. Aoun stressed that “the army is the only and last institution that is still cohesive, and it is the guarantee for security and stability in Lebanon and the region”.
He added that any harm to the institution of the armed forces “will lead to the collapse of the Lebanese entity and the spread of chaos”.
“We believe that we will pass this difficult and delicate stage, thanks to the determination and will of our soldiers,” he added.
