The state of the Future Movement seems to be in full blown meltdown as even their ministers cannot keep face while being interviewed about the resignation of Saad Hariri on Thursday.

Minister of Displaced Affairs Mouin Merhebi was being interviewed by NBN reporter Linda Meshleb earlier today when, after asking him about a meeting the heads of the Future Movement had in light of the resignation of Saad Hariri, more specifically concerning the former Prime Minister being located at a specific hotel in Saudi Arabia, he replied that he would be ready to coordinate transfer for the reporter in question to that hotel since she seems she wants to be there.

Behold the appalling video from a state official:

It’s harrowing that such disgusting level of rhetoric can emanate from a public official, live on TV, unashamedly saying to a female reporter who did not even remotely offend him in any way, other than asking him basic questions that he could and should answer, in his function as an official States person and member of a government that is being dissolved because his boss resigned.

Instead of getting a succinct answer about where the country and his part is heading, we got a tirade full of misogyny, full of offense to the reporter – especially that she is a woman. We go on and on as Lebanese about foreign politicians doing such things in their own countries, bringing out pitchforks and ridicule, wondering how such countries can elect officials like that in the first place.

And now here we are. Apart from the Facebook outrage, and the bunch of blog posts coming up regarding this issue, will anything happen to Mouin Merhebi? The answer is no. He will not be held accountable by his party for such blatant misogyny. He will not be banned from his party. He will not be sacked. He will not face ANY repercussions. On the contrary, he will probably be saluted for “putting that reporter in her place.” 

In fact, Merhebi has been known for years now to be a disgusting human being when it comes to his speeches. In 2013, requests were filed with the Justice Minister to strip him of his immunity in order to prosecute him for defamation against the Army. 

Regardless of what I think of Linda Meshleb or NBN (admittedly, I’m personally not a fan of the Berri apparatus), I salute her for keeping her calm on live TV in such an instance where she could have been entirely warranted to tell off such a disgusting human being. 

Until then, Mouin Merhebi you are a disgrace. I’m ashamed to have anyone like you be in any official capacity in any form of governance in my own country. What disgusting filth.