The US has long leveraged its super-power status to give Israel impunity from international accountability
Articles tagged "Governance"
Lebanon’s Path to Accountability and Justice Is Through Joining the ICC
The country must break the cycle of impunity and strengthen its sovereignty by ratifying the Rome Statute
Bye Bye General, Hello Mr. President: Lebanon’s Fait Accompli Head of State
Lebanon’s new president inherits a broken system; his actions will dictate whether he is a reformer or ‘just another general’
Plugged In, Left Out: Lebanon’s Digital Learning Trap
Tech solutions risk worsening inequities at public schools
Echoes of Assad: Will the New Syria Escape the Authoritarianism of the Old?
The authorities now controlling Damascus have been sending mixed signals about the future direction of Syria
The Hard Truth About Syria: No Clean Hands, No Easy Solutions
The Assad regime and global powers have broken Syria—only a new consensus can repair it
Rebel Roulette: Turkey’s Big Gamble on Syrian Opposition Offensive
Erdoğan turns the tables on Assad after years of frustration
Know This Series: Securing Lebanon: The Urgent Need for a Clear Vision Post-Ceasefire
A Generation in Limbo: Redefining Refugee Policy in Lebanon
As the tide of war subsides, Lebanon needs a rights-based solution to govern the Syrian refugee crisis
Lebanon at a Crossroads: How Resolution 1701 and a New Deterrence Could Prevent a Long War
For a ceasefire to happen, Hezbollah, the US and Israel need to return to Resolution 1701
Bubbling Under the Bombs: Left Unchecked, Displacement Fears Risk Reopening Lebanon’s Civil War Wounds
Fear and government inaction are driving a displacement crisis that risks civil strife in Lebanon
Destined for Disaster: How Hubris Invaded South Lebanon
Alternatives to US, Israeli fool’s goal of severing Hezbollah from Lebanon
Profit or Protection: The Fallout of Lebanon’s Housing Crisis
Israel’s war has triggered a housing crisis that risks Lebanon’s social stability
Conflict Response to Ongoing Israeli Assault: Safeguarding Citizens and State
Amid Israeli onslaught, Lebanese policymakers must unite against worst-case outcomes
Packaged for Greed: The Hidden Agendas Behind Lebanon’s Postal Sector Power Grab
How the rivalry for LibanPost could decide the country’s financial future
Flatline to Pulse: Prioritising Reform and Recovery in Lebanon’s State-Owned Enterprises
Reforming Lebanon’s state-owned enterprises is key for national recovery.
Running from Disaster: A Roadmap for Rescuing Lebanon’s Telecoms and Electricity Sectors
Reform of state-owned enterprises is both possible and necessary, starting with electricity and telecoms.
Lebanese State-Owned Enterprises: Navigating Reform and Recovery
A roadmap for state-owned enterprises reform in Lebanon, emphasizing transparency, good governance, and rejecting the controversial ‘Sovereign Fund’ to steer towards economic stability.
Exchange Rate Mis-Regulation: A Nation Short-Changed
The Lebanese financial crisis, driven by fiscal mismanagement and central bank interventions, has resulted in market distortions and multiple exchange rates, worsening economic disparities.
Currency Chaos: Lebanon’s Exchange Rate Policy
Assessing Lebanon’s exchange rate chaos: Sayrafa, monetary governance reforms, and the need for a managed float of the lira.
Crude and Green: Energy Giants Scoop Up Lebanon’s Oil, Wind and Solar
Oversight absent as TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy take over the energy sector.
Sayrafa Explained: How Lebanon’s Central Bank Quells Unrest by Subsidising Elites
“A weak and inefficient monetary tool”
Crushed Ballot: Ending the Suppression of Lebanon’s Municipalities
Municipalities’ can reshape development and service provision in lebanon, if freed to represent their communities.
Public Disservice: Reforming Lebanon’s Regressive State Institutions
How politicians corrupted the civil service, and why now is the time for change.
Undermining Democracy: Lebanon’s Cabinet Violates Constitution To Protect Banking Elite
Lebanon’s cabinet violates constitution to protect banking elite.
Cross Contamination: The Banking Interests Plaguing Public Office in Lebanon
The Alternative’s investigation of Lebanon’s banking sector reveals conflicts of interest behind the country’s financial and political masters
New EDL Tariffs: A Step Towards the Light or a Shot in the Dark?
Lebanon’s residents likely to keep paying for the chronic mismanagement of EDL.
Lebanon’s 2022 Budget: Harsh Realities of Tax Reform and Government Intentions
Lebanon’s 2022 budget’s has a preference for regressive taxation, potentially shielding the wealthy while financially straining ordinary citizens.
Trick Not Treat: Lebanon’s banking secrecy law is more appearance than substance
Lebanon amends banking secrecy law to appease the IMF but leaves loopholes to protect politico-banking elite.
Rhetoric or Reform: Lebanon’s 2022 Financial Recovery Plan
Analyzing Lebanon’s 2022 Financial Recovery Plan, from its ambitious promises to critical flaws in depositor compensation, fund structure, wealth legitimacy checks, and the glaring lack of accountability.
Ministry of Finance Budget Circulars November – December 2022
Summary and analysis of circulars and decisions issued by the Ministry of Finance and Banque Du Liban from November to December 2022
Restructuring Lebanon’s Banking Sector And Financial System: A Long Way To Go
Lebanon’s draft laws aim to reshape its financial landscape, yet ambiguities may hinder complete restoration of confidence in the sector.
Short Circuits: Why Lebanon’s electricity sector is still broken
Infrastructure, political, and legal barriers to reforming Lebanon’s broken electricity sector.
Lebanon Bank Holdups, Who Is The Real Criminal?
Lebanon’s bank hold ups are the result of lawlessness created by banks, not desperate depositors.
The Updated Banking Secrecy Law: A Step Forward with Lingering Loopholes and Challenges
Assessing Lebanon’s revised banking secrecy law and its progress, while pointing to its loopholes, need for independence, and effective enforcement mechanisms.
No More Fun and Games: Saving Lebanon’s Education System Before it’s Too Late
A complete rethink of Lebanon’s education sector could turn crisis into opportunity
Eternal Compromise: The Ambiguities of UNIFIL in Lebanon
Peacekeeping mission reading between the lines to keep the peace
Unfinished Business: Distributed Renewable Energy in Lebanon
The MOEW’s latest renewable energy draft law faces criticism for consolidating power, with experts pushing for reforms to decentralize the sector and break the EDL monopoly.
Bogus Budget: Lebanon’s 2022 budget punishes the poor to protect the rich
By kicking the can down the road on comprehensive reform, the 2022 budget is just another power grab by the establishment.
Lopsided Fallout: The Crisis of Financial Loss Distribution
Exploring Lebanon’s loss distribution dilemma, focusing on banks using depositor funds to cover losses, evasion of accountability standards, and the urgent need for bank restructuring.
Controlled Chaos: Analyzing Lebanon’s Capital Control Policy
Analyzing Lebanon’s capital control laws, highlighting issues like illegitimate withholding of funds, conflicts of interest in regulatory bodies, depositor discrimination, and the need for stringent, fair amendments.
Comic Book Court: Lebanon’s Supreme Council is a well-practiced exercise in futility
Legal loopholes and self-interested gatekeepers will likely prevent justice from running its course
It’s a Trap: Don’t vote blank
How blank votes help the traditional political class win seats
Path Dependence: Why voters turn to traditional parties over independents In Lebanon’s election
A new nationally representative study on voter intentions reveals hope for independents, while showing traditional parties maintain their voter base through tradition, identity politics, and political clientelism.
Getting Serious: Could EU sanctions force fair elections in Lebanon?
The European Union has positioned itself as lead guarantor for Lebanon’s parliamentary elections, with sanctions and observers in place. But history suggests that dirty electoral tricks will go unpunished.
Double-Dealing: Financial elites loom over Lebanon’s proposed capital controls
These informal capital controls – which have no basis in law – facilitate rampant discrimination between well-connected elites and most other depositors.
Excuses, Excuses: Lebanon’s political class looking for a reason to postpone elections
Elections in Lebanon are currently set for 15 May, but throughout March the ruling political class has alluded to conditions that would buy them time to avoid holding the elections as scheduled.
End Of The Line: Day of reckoning must loom over Lebanon’s elites
As long as the global food and energy crisis continues, Lebanese households – which rely overwhelmingly on imported products – will start skipping meals, eating less, losing nutrients, and falling ill.
Stillborn: Lebanon’s public transport announcement dead on arrival
Since 1985, the Lebanese government has made at least 13 such announcements, plans, proposals and / or studies about new public transport projects – an average of one every 2.4 years.
Nowhere To Heal: The growing luxury of medical cover in Lebanon
Broadening private insurance ahead of universal health care.
Bucketing Down: A Principled Bail-In for Lebanon’s Overflowing Debts
How banking regulations can fairly allocate losses and avert future crises.
Foreign Legal Pressure Can Corner Lebanon’s Banking Elites
When Lebanon’s financial sector imploded, it was inevitable that the country’s elites would try to shunt those losses onto everyday Lebanese. Over several years, Lebanese bankers had gambled away their customers’ savings, leaving banks unable to meet their debts by October 2019 – if not earlier....
Power to The People: It’s Time for Renewable Energy to Transform Electricity In Lebanon
Lebanese authorities’ persistent failure to meet the country’s energy needs has been a central symbol of state corruption and mismanagement.
Divided We Fall: Bringing Together Lebanon’s Opposition Movement
As Lebanon approaches another round of parliamentary elections opposition parties face old threats and new opportunities.
Breaking Point: The Collapse of Lebanon’s Water Sector
How misplaced aid, elite capture, and a devalued currency are causing crisis in the water sector.
Revitalizing Lebanon: A Progressive Socio-Economic Manifesto for Transformation
Exploring Lebanon’s socioeconomic frailties and policy solutions: Confronting rentier capitalism and crafting a fairer future.
Shake On It: A Fair IMF Package For Lebanon
Defaulting on Lebanon’s foreign-held debt may have patched up the country’s financial wounds, but it has not stopped the internal bleeding.
Catch Up Time: Reforming Electronic Money Transfers In Lebanon
Lebanese banks and financial companies that provide electronic money transfer (EMT) services profit off consumers through transfer fees and hidden exchange rates that are nothing less than exploitative.