Fuel tax hike denounced as a 'violation of the Constitution'

"This is an aberration and a violation of the Constitution," tax attorney Karim Daher said of the recent increase in fuel taxes in Lebanon.On May 29, Nawaf Salam's government decided to increase fuel taxes: 100,000 Lebanese pounds collected on every 20 liters of gasoline (about $1.1 at the market rate) and 174,000 Lebanese pounds on every 20 liters of diesel (about $1.94). The tax, which will affect all motorists indiscriminately, is to fund monthly aid to the Lebanese Army: 14 million pounds for active soldiers and 12 million pounds for retired soldiers, effective from July 1, 2025.'Non-compliance with the Constitution'Legally, according to Daher, "Only Parliament has the right to modify, establish, or abolish a tax, an excise, or a duty, according to Articles 81 and 82 of the Constitution, which has not been...