This Is How Lebanon Is Embracing Its Current State
Last weekend tens of thousands of people took the streets of Lebanon as anti-government protests brokeout. A growing rage at politicians that for decades have been driving the country to its economic brink. From the south to the east and north of Lebanon, protestors marched in a very fiery and festive mood, carrying the flag and chanting for a revolution and “change of regime” and how the current government is filled with “thieves”.
The unrest was sparked by anger over the rising cost of living and the new tax plan over Whatsapp free calls, as well as years of government mismanagement, corruption and its failure to address high rates of unemployment.
This protest conveys Lebanon’s national unity, proving that there’s no difference between a Christian, a Muslim or any other religious sect. The thousands of rallies across the country are actually the largest Lebanon has witnessed since 2015! People from different religious and political background gathered to establish change, and they will remain on the streets until the government resigns.
I have to point out that the grudge and tension the protestors hold against the current government have frankly been building up for several decades; the economic crisis and the soaring debt that is currently standing at about $86 billion, or 150% of Lebanon’s gross domestic product. This left Lebanon with crumbling infrastructure including daily electricity cuts, trash piles in the streets and often sporadic, limited water supplies from the state-owned water company – According to Washington Post.
