Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on Thursday asked the government to continue its caretaker capacity until a new government is formed, after it
collapsed as more than one third ministers resigned on Wednesday.
"Since one third of the cabinet members quit, the government is now considered resigned," Suleiman said in a statement, "For this reason, I request the care taker government to carry out its duties until a new one is formed."
Lebanon's national unity government collapsed on Wednesday after Hezbollah and its allies pulled their 10 ministers from cabinet and one minister close to Suleiman announced his withdrawal later,
providing the necessary number of resignations for the government to collapse.
Lebanese opposition bloc have for months been pressing Prime Minister Saad Hariri to disavow the Special Tribunal for Lebanon -- probing the 2005 assassination of Saad Hariri's father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. But the western-backed majority refused to make a compromise at the expense of the STL.