Demonstration in front of the Parliament in Beirut against the 2026 draft budget being reviewed by MPs, Jan. 27, 2026. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
The 2026 budget law, which was passed last Thursday after a three-day heated debate, could soon be outdated, as social pressure over public sector salaries and last-minute political promises risk upsetting its balance in the coming weeks.Retired military personnel and teachers, who mobilized throughout the past week, secured enough parliamentary support to push the government to revisit the question of increasing their wages and pensions “by the end of the month.”Public sector contract employees, judicial assistants, other employees at the Lebanese University, and Electricité du Liban (EDL) have already joined these demands, which could potentially drive costs even higher. Some context Lebanese Parliament passes 2026 budget, despite days of protests and slew of criticisms Yet, despite a 21 percent increase compared with 2025, the...
The 2026 budget law, which was passed last Thursday after a three-day heated debate, could soon be outdated, as social pressure over public sector salaries and last-minute political promises risk upsetting its balance in the coming weeks.Retired military personnel and teachers, who mobilized throughout the past week, secured enough parliamentary support to push the government to revisit the question of increasing their wages and pensions “by the end of the month.”Public sector contract employees, judicial assistants, other employees at the Lebanese University, and Electricité du Liban (EDL) have already joined these demands, which could potentially drive costs even higher. Some context Lebanese Parliament passes 2026 budget, despite days of protests and slew of criticisms Yet, despite a 21 percent increase compared with 2025,...
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