The first time I visited Lebanon was in February 2023. The moment I got off the plane, you could feel that something was wrong, or well, perhaps not excessively right. Around that time, Hezbollah and its men controlled the airport area, and you got the feeling that, without knowing why, you had to walk on eggshells.
Lebanon has been and is – by history and its own definition – a complex land of peoples who have fought to coexist without losing their own identity. In this sense, we have been able to verify in recent days that there is no homogeneous Lebanese state, but rather a diverse, plural one, whose main task must be to defend its rich identity based on the fact that it contains different realities, religions, and origins. It is about flipping the script of the discourse that pits people against each other, to give it a hopeful tone that highlights its cultural wealth and unleashes all its potential.
I believe that those of us who have been part of this EPP expedition are returning home with too many ideas, information, and feelings that we will have to sort out while observing the changes the country undergoes in the coming months. And the thing is, this time Lebanon does not want to resign itself to the resilience that has been considered implicit and intrinsic to the country. I don’t know who can withstand more blows because, although difficulties forge great men and peoples, the Lebanese no longer need to prove any of that. What is needed right now from the government is responsibility, from the population, trust, and from international partners, solid and seamless support. The 2026 elections are key to the stability of the region and the final resurgence of a country that has already repeated the history of the phoenix too many times.
The stability of Lebanon is the stability of the West and the preservation of our values. The geographical situation of this country has sometimes led it to fight battles that weren’t even its own and to endure self-interested and strategic interferences that have done nothing but generate social, economic, and political crises.
These days we have covered many topics: from the possible reform of the electoral system, to the recent one of the banking sector, or those anticipated in the judiciary… However, one action has been discussed and considered key to ensuring that all the rest function: the dismantlement of Hezbollah. And I insist, dismantlement and not just disarmament.
In the words of our own Lebanese friends: what good is a disarmament if we retain a structure and feed what is actually an ideology contrary to peaceful and democratic values? Hezbollah’s ties with Iran are clear. It is not a party with aims to defend its own people and see them prosper; it is a movement that functions as an antenna for the interests of the Iranian regime. To that extent the dismantlement of Hezbollah is key to rebuilding a prosperous Lebanon and a state that is capable of catering to all of its people equally and under the umbrella of the law.
The Lebanese political system of governance itself needs an overhaul in favor of a more diversified and decentralized one. The current system resulted in crisis after crisis every couple of years and has proven to be broken. A more decentralized system, that respects Lebanon’s diversity under the rule of the law and ensures that the Lebanese are equal in rights and in obligations while improving the quality of life and providing better opportunities for the Lebanese is needed.
The Lebanese electoral system represents another milestone on Lebanon’s path to stability. Although the current electoral law was a major improvement from its predecessors, one of its major setbacks remains the vote of the diaspora. Attempts to amend the law have been blocked by Hezbollah and its allies using unconstitutional and illegal ways. As things stand the Lebanese diaspora will have to vote to 6 designated MPs although the representation of these MPs and the respective regions have not designated yet, instead of being able to vote for the members of parliament of their home regions as they should. Reforming the electoral law to ensure proper representation and the right to vote of the diaspora is yet another necessity.
Just as important are economic and financial reforms and the reform of the banking sector. Lebanon and for a few years now, has been suffering from the worst economic financial crisis in its history and probably the world. It was coupled by a banking crisis that left people unable to withdraw their life savings. For years, the consecutive governments did nothing to find solutions to the crises. Today the current government has put it as a target to get the country back on the right path, however, clear solutions and proper implementation are a necessity now more than ever. Reforming the economy and also the banking sector is vital to restoring faith in Lebanon and attracting investors.
Lebanon has faced many setbacks and continues to do so; however, the Lebanese have always risen to the challenge with
unwavering commitment to the protection of their freedom and way of life even in the face of death and it is with that same spirit that they tackle today’s challenges.
