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Lebanon
Protests against the Government

This is the first time Lebanese citizens from different backgrounds have gathered spontaneously for their country, without any support from political parties. People are angry with their government and politicians.

This is the first time Lebanese citizens from different backgrounds have gathered spontaneously for their country, without any support from political parties. People are angry with their government and politicians. This phenomenon is not new, but until now, citizens have not found a platform, which can absorb them and where they can express their minds freely.

The protests are not only occurring in Lebanon, but in more than 30 cities around the world, organized by the Lebanese diaspora. They are angry at the politicians, and see in them the reason they had to leave the country and search for opportunities outside of Lebanon.

The economic and social situation has been declining in Lebanon since the end of the civil war.

However, recently, two consecutive events triggered the current wave of protests. The first event concerns the mismanagement of extinguishing a wildfire that spread and destroyed most of the green lands. The second concerns a series of taxation regarding basic services.

Demonstrators have a big variety of demands. They vary depending on age and socio-economic background. What can be seen on the ground is that particularly ecological, economic and social causes rank high in their interests. In particular the unemployment rate which has reached 25% and the building of a dam in Bisrey Valley are major causes for frustration among protestors.

The protestors commonly believe that their politicians are corrupt and that it is time for some sort of change for the better. Many Lebanese people who have had the chance to visit other countries for work or leisure have come to know that developed countries do provide their citizen’s basic rights. They are asking for such rights, like proper water, 24/7 electricity, proper public education, healthcare, public transportation, retirement pension and social security. The list goes on and on.

So far people have put their confessional and political affiliation aside for a better quality of life and even though people are united by the recent course of events, they differ on how to reach their voiced demands.

Some protesters call for the resignation of the cabinet, and the formation of a new one, formed by technocrats in order to handle the current crisis. Others are asking for a change in the Lebanese regime altogether, convinced that it is the fundamental reason behind all the problems. The idea of early elections has also been brought up. However only under the condition that the electoral law, drafted in 2017, will be modified by an independent entity from the government. This would mean that the Lebanese citizens can vote independently of all confessional and sectorial restrictions. Many protestors are convinced that the current law, under which they voted for the first time in 2018, does not portray a true image of their expectations, and is the reason the current parliament has lost its popular legitimacy. Finally, albeit less widespread, there are some people who demand the creation of a constitutional committee to write a new constitution for the country, which exempts all confessional ideologies.

There are many scenarios that are imaginable for the near future. The first expected scenario is the approval of the 2019 budget taking into consideration the demands of the people for corrective measures. This was the position taken by Prime Minister Saad El Hariri on Monday afternoon after he had asked for a 72-hour time slot to consult all concerned parties for solutions. The Lebanese protesters were not satisfied and promised to stay on the streets.

One of the reasons of this refusal is the fact that even though the vote of the parliament is still required, some parliamentary blocs have already voiced their opposition to a new budget, assuring that they will not vote in favor when the time comes to vote.

The second, and more popular scenario, is the resignation of the cabinet. But the big question is, whether the next cabinet would be one that lives up to the expectations of the Lebanese citizens or would be just a replica of the current one. Moreover, even if a technocrat cabinet would come to power, would there be new faces in the government? Would they even be independent of any political affiliation? And if they’re politically affiliated, would they put aside the interest of their leaders and serve as they should? And eventually, will the current parliament trust to the new cabinet?

The fact that the Lebanese people on the streets are hungry, not only for food but also for dignity, freedom and simply life, cannot be longer ignored.

Their demands may be inconsistent and sometimes inapplicable in the current situation, but for them, at this very moment, there is no reasoning, there is no compromising in exchange for their rights. They are tired of living under the shadows of their leaders, politically or on religious matters. They are tired of their future being robbed. It is now time for the government to opt for solutions that make sure that Lebanon is taken out of the dark hole it started to fall into 30 years ago. These solutions would also serve as a ray of hope to the Lebanese community and show that the people in power have heard them and that change is finally possible.