Lebanon: The phoenix with clipped wings

Thirty years after the end of the civil war, Lebanon is facing four concurrent crises that risk plunging the country into oblivion. Over the past year, Lebanon has faced a political crisis, a financial and currency crisis, an economic crisis, and a rampaging health crisis as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. How did things get this dire for Lebanon? How have decades of endemic corruption and wasteful mismanagement dragged this country to the brink of disaster? What are the opportunities for a Lebanese revival? In this talk, we will discuss how the latest development in Lebanon finds roots in the design of the Lebanese political system, and the role regional dynamics play in influencing Lebanon’s future.