Threat of social unrest resurfaces in Lebanon as cost of living soars

Will social anger over soaring inflation and the high cost of living in Lebanon soon spill onto the streets? Calls for strikes have multiplied in recent days, as the price of a 20-liter tank of gasoline soared to $32 on Tuesday amid the regional war between Iran and the United States. A few days earlier, the price of a package of bread had also risen, as Lebanon’s annual inflation rate remains above 17 %.Against this backdrop, Beshara Asmar, head of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL), called Monday for an "economic emergency" and threatened to escalate the pressure, including through an open-ended strike next week. He was joined in the call by the Federation of Road Transport, the Union of Civil Servants, public and private school teachers and professors at the Lebanese University.The pressure appeared to...