BEIRUT

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Tuesday he does not want to form a new government.

"Not me, but someone else to form a government that meets the aspirations of young men and women and the distinctive presence of Lebanese women," Hariri said in a statement.

Hariri asked President Michel Aoun to immediately call for parliamentary consultations to task a new prime minister with forming the cabinet.

Lebanon has been rocked by mass protests since last month against plans for tax increases, which quickly turned into wider grievances.

The unrest has forced Hariri to resign, with no progress toward reaching a deal on a new government.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat