国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Lebanon faces social chaos amid economic deterioration_时事

国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Lebanon faces social chaos amid economic deterioration

All these factors prompted the Lebanese from all sectors and regions to stage demonstrations over the past few weeks to protest against dire economic circumstances, lack of proper basic services and corruption.

Lebanese officials made several promises to implement reforms that would improve the economic situation by reducing the budget deficit which reached 11.4 percent of GDP in 2018.

However, no serious reforms could actually be made under the current anti-reform "sectarian system," according to Nader.

"The sectarian system is locking reforms. This system is distributing everything among sectarian groups and political parties who represent them," he explained.

"All they will do is to add taxes on citizens because no minister will cut down his ministry's budget," the Lebanese expert lamented.

Wehbe Qatisha, a Lebanese lawmaker, agreed that when poverty grows to a great extent, it will certainly lead to chaos.

Qatisha, however, ruled out the possibility of a unified revolution in Lebanon as the Lebanese are divided according to sects and political parties.

Hanna Gharib, general secretary of Lebanon's Communist Party, explained that the current situation will certainly push people to the streets and the factors needed to start a revolution are there.

"But we cannot be sure that a revolution in Lebanon would be successful. We are still at the beginning of deterioration and the number of people participating in repeated protests is still not up to the required level," he said.