Further anti-government demonstrations in Lebanon likely through late May

Further protests likely in Lebanon through May amid protesters’ regular clashes with police. Increased security, disruptions likely.

Lebanon continues to be mired in its worst crisis since the end of the country’s Civil War in 1990. The World Bank has stated that the country’s current economic depression is one of the world’s worst. More than 80 percent of Lebanon’s population is in poverty. The value of the country’s currency has plummeted by over 90 percent since 2019, with essential goods and services increasingly difficult to access. In addition, hours-long power outages are routine in Beirut and other cities.

Major economic and political reforms will be required to help reverse the crisis, unlock international financial assistance, and address protesters’ demands. However, Lebanon’s confessional government structure, which distributes political power according to religious sect, has hampered efforts to resolve the crisis. Many anti-government protesters claim the confessional system has contributed to Lebanon’s current instability due to the belief that it benefits political elites and encourages a lack of accountability.

(CRISIS24)