Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati decided on Thursday not to start daylight savings time over the last weekend of March – as usually happens in Lebanon, Europe and other regions – but instead to roll clocks forward an hour on April 20.
Though no reason was given for the decision, it was widely seen as a concession to Muslims, allowing those observing the holy month of Ramadan to break their daylight-hours fasts at around 6pm, rather than 7pm.
But Lebanon’s influential Maronite church, the largest Christian church in the country, announced it would not abide by the decision, saying there had been no consultations or considerations of international standards.
It turned its clocks forward, and other Christian organisations, parties and schools announced similar plans.
Lebanon’s education minister Abbas Halabi also said on Sunday schools would operate on daylight savings time – against the government decision.
Meanwhile, Muslim institutions and parties appeared set to remain in winter time, deepening divides in a country that was rocked by a 1975-1990 civil war between Christian and Muslim factions and where parliament seats are allocated by religious sect.
Businesses and media organizations, including two of Lebanon’s main news channels – LBCI and MTV – announced they too would enter daylight savings time.
“Lebanon is not an island,” LBCI said in a statement.
Others tried to adapt.