OPINION: Political Dysfunction Cripples Lebanon at a Crucial Moment

By Michael Abi Habib

Five months after its first parliamentary elections in nine years, the Lebanese government still has not formed a cabinet. The current political dysfunction facing Lebanon comes at a crucial moment. Lebanon is experiencing crises with Syrian refugees, its economy, and the possibility of new Palestinian refugee flows.

The Lebanese parliamentary system is very complex because it factors religious sect into political representation. Within each religious community, members compete for the allotted parliamentary seats, and then, during the cabinet formation process, they compete with each other for seats. The disagreements within each religious community are compounded by the conflicts between different religious groups, which makes the cabinet-formation process very difficult and more prone to deadlock. According to Reuters, the main obstacle facing cabinet-formation is the conflict between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces party. The two Maronite Christian parties disagree over the number of cabinet seats that should be distributed between themselves.

The current cabinet-formation deadlock is harming the economy day by day. Lebanon, which has the third highest debt-to-GDP ratio of any country, is currently operating with a fiscal deficit. Deadlock will not only add to this debt, but it will also put Lebanon on course for another financial crisis. The Lebanese economy is already struggling: the World Bank predicts GDP growth of just one percent for the coming year and a rise in domestic interest rates.

Without a cabinet to lead the country, Lebanon is unable to address the brewing economic crisis. According to Bloomberg News, donors from the international community have offered about $11 billion in loans and grants, but these offers are being held until the Lebanese government forms a cabinet. Lebanon, a country with a history of political inefficacy and corruption, is continuing to neglect the needs of its people in an increasingly important moment in its history.

The Trump administration’s decision to cut funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which coordinates development in Palestine, only worsens the situation in Lebanon. According to Al-Monitor, with a majority of its Palestinian refugees living off of UNRWA funding, Lebanon faces a growing Palestinian refugee humanitarian crisis. Faced with potential crises, the Lebanese government needs to form a cabinet and begin acting in the interests of its people.