When the Lights Go Out: Life, Inflation, and Lebanon’s Fragile Democratic Renewal

Lebanon’s economic and political collapse has eroded public trust and weakened state institutions. Once called the “Switzerland of the Middle East,” it now faces blackouts, inflation, and a devalued currency. Decades of sectarian power-sharing paved the way for the 2019 financial crisis, marking the collapse of the postwar order. Hezbollah—a political party and paramilitary group backed by Iran—has expanded its role in governance, security, and welfare, reinforcing a shadow-state dynamic as the country drifts further from democracy. Yet under Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s new 2025 administration, early reforms in energy, banking, and transparency signal a fragile but honest effort to restore accountability and rebuild democratic state legitimacy.

Middle EastAllegra VercesiNovember 12, 2025Lebanon, Hezbollah, political legitimacy, governance crisis, corruption, foreign intervention, state sovereignty, Middle East geopolitics, energy crisis, inflation, financial collapse, currency devaluation, economic reform