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February 28, 2019 | English and Arabic | Sami Zoughaib and Daniel Garrote Sanchez
Growing Pessimism and Concern over the State of Lebanon's Economy

Seven months into the term of the new parliament, Lebanon remains subject to high levels of corruption, deteriorating infrastructure, and a sluggish economy that experts warn is nearing crisis. This policy brief examines the main economic, political, and security concerns of Lebanese citizens and demonstrates how these vary according to individuals’ home regions and socioeconomic characteristics.
 
A majority of Lebanese citizens share a pessimistic view of the direction in which the country is heading and perceive a deterioration across multiple aspects of governance. This brief demonstrates that economic concerns are the most salient among Lebanese followed by infrastructure, security, and social concerns. Economic concerns are most prominent among youth, Lebanese in their thirties, and residents of lagging regions, whereas infrastructure is a concern among Lebanese nationwide.
 
As a government was recently formed and received a vote of confidence from the parliament, the new cabinet and political parties whose members comprise it should champion inclusive and more participatory policy-making processes that aim to address citizens' principle concerns.