Motorists blocked in front of the "Ring" bridge, in central Beirut, by a protest organized in response to tax measures announced by the government on Feb. 16, 2026. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
The Beirut Bar Association filed an appeal Monday with the State Council seeking to suspend the decision made on Feb. 16 by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government to increase taxes on fuel prices.
The imposition of excise duties equivalent to 320,000 LL (more than $4) on the price of 20 liters of 95- and 98-octane gasoline drove their prices up from $15.90 to $19.93.
The lawyers are particularly contesting what they consider to be an “overstepping of the framework of the legislative authorization law” provided for in Article 55 of the 2026 Finance Law, as well as a “violation of the principles of equality before public burdens and of the legality of taxation.”
This decision, accompanied by a 1 percentage point increase in VAT from 11 percent to 12 percent, was part of a package of fiscal measures aimed at funding salary increases for civil servants and pension increases for military personnel.
These measures have triggered a wave of protests and intermittent roadblocks across the country. Several public and private sector unions have also threatened new blockades, possibly coupled with a strike, if the government does not reconsider before Tuesday.
Last summer, the State Council had already suspended, following an appeal filed by the Lebanese Forces, a previous excise duty increase decided by the government to finance bonuses for active and retired military personnel.
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