On January 21, Lebanon formed a new government after a three-month deadlock in which protestors took the streets of Beirut. During the first cabinet session, the Prime Minster Hassan Diab declared that Lebanon is facing the most dangerous and difficult time in its history and that his government will work to secure stability and preserve democracy in the country. He added that his ministries will present a different image of government work, distant from cronyism and corruption. The formation of the new government is endorsed by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who issued an official statement on 21 January. The EU also welcomed the new cabinet in a statement released by the European External Action Service (EEAS), in which it stresses that “the incoming Lebanese Government must swiftly tackle the acute economic challenges and enact structural reforms to respond to the needs and expectations of the Lebanese people”. Meanwhile, anti-government demonstrators keep on demanding a government led by technocrats able to deal with the financial, economic and social crises the country is facing. Peaceful protests turned violent over the weekend in the streets of Beirut, resulting in more than 540 people wounded. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Spokesperson Marta Hurtado expressed her concern on the violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces, calling for a de-escalation of the situation.