President Joseph Aoun. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun issued the 2026 state budget law, approved by Parliament and assigned Law No. 40 dated Feb. 10, 2026, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Tuesday.
At the end of January, Parliament approved the 2026 budget despite the tense atmosphere in and around the chamber, with numerous civil servants, mainly retired military, demanding an increase in their wages, salaries, and end-of-service benefits. The vote passed with a majority of 59 votes in favor, 34 against, and 11 abstentions.
The issue of public sector pay, which has yet to be revised to compensate for the loss of purchasing power following the depreciation of the Lebanese Lira since the start of the financial and economic crisis in 2019, became the focal point of debates.
The budget which was presented as a “zero-deficit” budget and adopted within constitutional deadlines by Parliament, falls in line with the austerity-oriented approach of the two previous budgets, while the government has managed to increase revenues and improve collection.
However, the text is also criticized for its lack of quantified transparency and its absence of an “economic vision,” according to the Parliamentary Finance Committee.
