Lebanon's government has reversed its controversial decision to delay the winter clock changes by a month. The caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati had proposed to postpone Daylight Saving until April 20, citing Ramadan, instead of introducing it on March 25. However, his plan was met with resistance from churches, media organizations and the population, leading to confusion. After "calm discussions," Mikati announced that the government had voted to adopt Daylight Saving time starting on Wednesday night into Thursday. Mikati clarified that the issue was not related to summer or winter timings, but rather to the gap in the presidency. Lebanon has been gripped by a political deadlock that has prevented parliament from electing a president since October, amid an economic crisis and the Beirut port blast. Mikati had initially intended to relieve those fasting in the month of Ramadan for an hour, but the decision was interpreted as being sectarian or religious.
The government's decision to delay the winter clock changes by a month initially lacked a clear explanation, although local media speculated that it was related to Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. The issue soon became sectarian in nature, reflecting the sharp sectarian divide in Lebanon's politics, with parliamentary seats allocated based on religion. The decision sparked widespread protests, with two TV channels even adjusting their clocks in protest. Despite the controversy, some Lebanese found humor in the situation, with a clip of a digital clock at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport displaying two different times circulating on social media. At a cafe in Beirut, a Reuters journalist overheard a customer asking which clock to follow, the "Christian or Muslim" one.