Thanks. Separating. Them from having to pick them up today we are heating the people its our country were not going to look im not going to go we want to open the door towards National Salvation im. Angry and im here to tell them that their time is up i am today announcing the resignation of the government. Also coming up tonight the president of bella ruse says he won sundays election by a landslide but europe says there may be reason to believe the vote was forced and not free. The e. U. Lifted the sanctions against bellaver us because the country took steps in the right direction such as the release of political prisoners. We must now discuss in the e. U. With it they still applies in the light of the past week and the past days for government targets. To our viewers on p. B. S. In the United States and all the around the world welcome we begin the day in lebanon where the shock waves from last weeks explosion in beirut continue to rip through the country today the entire government of lebanon resigned over the weekend ministers began stepping down one after the other as calls on the street for a revolution became more desperate and violent tonights resignation amounts to an admission of utter failure a government accused of corruption at its core that was unable to protect the people it is supposed to represent a government many in lebanon now say with blood on its hands and here is the lebanese Prime Minister and what he told the nation of why the government has quit. Now that today we are heeding the people and their demands to hold accountable those responsible for a disaster that has been concealed for 7 years. And their desire for real change. Change from the corrupt destructive state from a state of theft to a state of law and justice and transparency to a country that respects its people. In the face of this reality we are taking a step back to stand with the people to undergo this battle of change with them who we want to open the door towards National Salvation that the lebanese people are taking part. This is why i am today announcing the resignation of the government. May god protect lebanon. There was a lebanese Prime Minister speaking earlier today for more on joined tonight here at the big table by my colleague from arab it is from lebanon its good to have you back on the program with us tonight were you satisfied with the message from the Prime Minister today. Thats a tough question to answer as many have been not satisfied with this resignation weve seen the protests this evening following the Prime Ministers resignation the protesters are saying this is not enough the resignation does not saturate the demands of the people they want to hold accountable those responsible for the blast and those responsible for years and years of neglect and mismanagement of the whole system and lebanon of the whole government so this resignation comes on the brink of an already boiling country with various crises and theres a big fear that this will only create more turmoil in this country and. Basically the corruption is bigger than the state bigger than even the political elite. But he said nothing really about how do you change that absolutely and he said nothing about how he discovered that i mean thats definitely not new information for that have been these people they have witnessed the corruption in the state and its various forms the last blast that blew up beirut last week was one last episode. As he that kind of showed the real corruption thats taking place in the state as the early investigations are showing that there has been a mess mismanagement of this crisis so he did not say whos who stopped him from working he did not name call those who who are did not allow him to do the reform he had promised when he was elected as active as Prime Minister he did not expand under. Why this had to happen and he left the lebanese people with a big question mark what happens next and what is your role he said i want to join the people but obviously the streets of beirut has answered him and told him people do not want you. Lets look at what lebanon has been for the past decades its been being controlled by men who are like were looking almost like mafia like godfathers you have acted in their own interests instead of in the interest of the lebanese people do you agree with that absolutely i agree 100 percent of that statement lebanon has been witnessing a big mismanagement project since the civil war and many of the lebanese crises thats been happening over and over in the country are due to this political ruling elite taking control of the country and their relations with the outside with external forces me to regional or International Forces this lebanon is a big example of a mismanagement of the state even of a failed state as its being reported at the moment so the warlords definitely take the biggest responsibility and thats what has sunday up today trying to say but in a very very vague way without calling names and what about hezbollah. Is in the government i wonder how much credibility it has now today warned the lebanese people not to allow the charity of foreign power particularly the u. S. And europe to influence them after what has happened is does it have a leg to stand on hezbollah definitely has external support mainly from like any other Lebanese Party that also enjoys western and International Support and the calls at the moment by lebanese all around the world today in berlin there was a protest at the german at the Lebanese Embassy in germany calling for the for the for the for the german. Not to support this murderous system as they called it this murderous state so has been doing support from external powers however all the other parties are are enjoying the same the same privilege so the big question is how will the new government if a new government is going to be formed soon going to deal with these various questions and how are they going to address the extern and influence its a good question that we havent gotten an answer from anyone should for europe the United States theyve pledged millions of euros in dollars to help rebuild but only if the money goes to the people who need it whos going to make sure that happens thats the biggest question at the moment 250 almost 300 billions have been offered yesterday during the the. Donor conference that mccrone had called for the question is how are they going to make sure they will get to the hands of the people is the resignation of the government the 1st step into forming a more credible government that one manage the aid that is going to be flooding lebannon in the future or does this open a new bigger question into what kind of future does the ban on it has to face and in the future and how are we going to get rid of that and thats what the people are calling for of that complicated system before we let you go are there people in the wings waiting who would like to come to power were he would be you know fresh for lebannon i mean i dont i dont see in the new faces but are there theres definitely a lot of faces that could be the new Prime Minister the question is will they let someone credible whos honest and whos transparent to take over thats the biggest question. As always we appreciate your insights thank you thank you brant half. Its really him. When the religions are not top priority for the lebanese people tonight food clean water electricity and medicine are and there is money already earmarked yesterday french president mccrone led a virtual Donor Conference with leaders from the us europe and the middle east participating 250000000 euros was pledged but mccrone said that money will come with conditions the time for awakening action has come the lebanese authorities must now implement the political and Economic Reforms demanded by the lebanese people that will also enable the International Community to act effectively alongside lebanon in the reconstruction process that was the french president there mccrone for more tonight im joined by w. s Political Correspondent simon young here in berlin good evening to you simon those conditions there not only french theyre also of german the German Foreign minister made that point clear today didnt it. Well thats right brant the German Foreign minister echoing that idea saying that if what lebanon really needs is a long term Long Term PlanLong Term Support and support from the International Community in particular for germany will involve a commitment to overcome corruption as weve been hearing about but more than that i think. Foreign minister mass was saying that you know 1st of all what the people of lebanon need is free and Fair Elections thats the very least they can expect he he said im Going Forward its not just about overcoming corruption its also about you know laying down the rule of law strengthening the rule of law and reforming the economy so that International Investors know that the money theyre putting into lebanon will be well spent and will get to the people we know that the German Foreign minister is planning to travel to lebannon later this week who does he plan to meet with now that the government has resigned do we know. Well its not clear but i think the meetings will be with officials said that he really wants to put across the german concern about the. State of reform in lebanon and obviously itll be to him about just seeing the damage on the ground seeing the off the moth and the relief efforts off to germany of course pledged 20000000. 00 euros worth of support at that Donor Conference on sunday all right simon stand by were going to go from one political crisis to another the Election Results in belo roofs president lukashenko has declared victory with 80 percent of the vote but his challenger disputes that and europe and the u. S. They have their own doubts as well the German Foreign minister travels to moscow tomorrow and bella ruse will be on the agenda take a listen as a council is very well we will certainly be talking about the current developments in valorous tomorrow in moscow and. I have to say that the ambitions but also our hopes that ballerinas would after all open up to once more democracy and the rule of law they have suffered a modern city a setback with the president ial election that we are all currently following. And simon can germany can the European Union ever really get a conclusive definitive answer about the elections there were no election observers i mean is it almost too late. Well it would appear so brant presumably a recount in the presence of International Observers could go some way to. Obtaining that that clear result from these elections but ive seen no prospect of that happening at the moment and foreign minister moss again talking about bellerose he said there was no sign whatsoever that there had been a free or Fair Election that hes very concerned about it and that democratic progress in the country that suffered more than the bits of defeat so you know germanys in concert with the e. U. And the International Community more generally i think hes trying to put the pressure on the regime and of course also at the same time calling for restraint from the authorities you say put pressure on me what could the European Union do if there is consensus that the vote was indeed rigged well one thing weve been talking about today is reintroducing some sanctions there or there is a program of e. U. Sanctions against about. More than 100 individuals it was from belarus but they were partially lifted in 2016. Amid signs that maybe a democratic sheets were beginning to emerge in belarus and in order to sort of improve relations with that country and the u. But so now what the German Foreign minister has been suggesting might happen is that they could look at whether it was appropriate to reimpose sanctions on some of those individuals in order to you know tighten the screws a little bit perhaps but as you say it does come rather light that it does a Political Correspondent so i mean youre on the story for us here in berlin tonight so i mean thank you. Well lebannon in bellews have one thing in common both our countries with a Political Class engulfed in a crisis of credibility in belarus the result of sundays election ignited violent protests on the streets of minsk the whites which the capital has never seen state media declared reelection victory for the credit president Alexander Lukashenko he reportedly received as we said 80 percent of the votes but the opposition is not buying that the president s main challenger is refusing to recognize the results and says that she won the most votes. The leaders of bellary see these demonstrations as a threat to their authority in minsk and other cities tens of thousands showed their support for the opposition on Election Night even though according to official figures their main candidate won only 9. 9 percent of the vote. Then the situation escalated Security Forces attempted to disperse the demonstrators using stun grenades Water Cannons and rubber bullets almost 100 people were injured in the clashes authorities said they made more than 3000 arrests that challenged at 1st things were peaceful people walked in a chain there were a lot of them then police vans came and started to arrest them is a bit accusation there were a lot of people with weapons they started shooting at peoples arms and legs despite reportedly winning less than 10 percent of the vote opposition candidates for atlanta teacher not claimed victory and she called on president lukashenko to step down. The authorities should think about how they can peacefully hand over power to us. Right. There is so far they have only responded with violence against peaceful citizens. And she did nouns the election as illegitimate. We have official reports from many polling stations that i received more votes than the other candidates. We have proof of photo fraud. Have people who are ready to come forward about fraud at polling stations around the world evidence is allegedly circulating on the internet that this video purports to show a woman climbing out of a polling station with banks claim to be filled with ballot papers. And it is it incumbent lucas shank of the official winner with nearly 80 percent of the vote said the protests are being organized from abroad. To work little sheep are being directed by people in the Czech Republic to suggest that the opposition understands nothing and is urging people to take to the streets in order to i quote hold negotiations with the government so that it voluntarily hands over power lust but handing over power is something lucas shango has categorically ruled out you are joined by. Shes editor analyses at the Research Center for east European Studies at the university of bremen here in germany organs good to have you on the program tonight 1st of all what did you make of the Election Results. Overwhelming win 80 percent of the vote did that surprise you. Well actually i was not of course surprised the fact that he won and everybody expected that i think because you know we have this long history of cation on an extra Election Results in belarus still approach 20 years already so its not a surprise were actually surprised me is this people are getting used to have you know in the last 10 years maybe in a more its 80 percent that he is definitely not taken now and its quite obvious some days he has lost the Popular Support and its actually obvious for quite a majority of people that even if he had a chance to we dont really believe that would definitely not be 80 percent what does all of this mean then for his main challenger who managed to attract tens of thousands of supporters. Does she have any recourse here or does she have to accept the fact that she has lost this election. Well the problem is nobody actually knew gently and even now its not quite clear what is the end strategy like the strategy all. Of the inquisition also for people to show that their majority and to protect them since people are kind of self organizing themselves also able to help with this instance also social media didnt reach. To the last guy and hes not calling for protest and she cannot or is not willing to move to join the protests because shes afraid that she will be and arrested so that is of course the problem that the people in belarus and all kind of looking for a leader and they dont have that at the same time they they show an unprecedented level of Health Organization because last totems in the regions in the small city was off to the elections and it was cemented since. President lukashenko he has been in power for 26 years i mean he has staying power but at some point it has to end do you see cracks in his ability to to rule bill rousseau meat is the end of this era is it on the horizon in your pain. Well i have been a few of the end of the era of you know the nations leader or hoffler and leader of the presiden