event
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Post-elections: What does the future hold for Lebanon?

Wed. May 25th, 2022
Live Online

Following three years of economic and political turmoil, Lebanon’s parliamentary elections on May 15 were a defining moment for the country’s future. The newly elected parliament will shape the country’s financial and economic future, form the next government, and elect the republic’s next president. Since 2019, the majority of the country’s population has slipped into poverty, while government services, including all-important electricity and water, continue to deteriorate amid growing fears of security ramifications. However, the elections and the next parliament are not the only deciding factors when it comes to developments on Lebanon’s political scene, given the presence of nonstate and paramilitary players as well as the region’s shifting power dynamics. The growing tensions between Iran, on one hand, and the United States and Israel, on the other, could potentially have an impact on Lebanon, considering the influence of Hezbollah, Tehran’s powerful proxy, and its national allies.

What kind of government will the new parliament produce? Can these elections push forward much-needed government reforms? How will growing regional tensions impact the political process? Can the EU play a role in future dialogue and in facilitating a swift government formation process?

The Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies cordially invite you to a public panel that will unpack these issues and more. The panel is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25 from 4:00 p.m till 5:15 p.m Beirut time, and will feature contributions from Amer Bisat, Verena El Amil, Lama Fakih, Kim Ghattas and Ziad Majed. The discussion is moderated by Maha Yahya and will be held in English.

Viewers may submit their questions for the panelists using the live chat feature on Zoom during the event. The event will also be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook. For more information, please contact Josiane Matar at josiane.matar@carnegie-mec.org.

LevantLebanon
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Amer Bisat

Amer Bisat is head of sovereign and emerging markets (alpha) at BlackRock and a former International Monetary Fund senior economist.

Verena El Amil

Verena El Amil is a lawyer and political activist that has participated in the Lebanese parliamentary elections 2022.

Lama Fakih

Lama Fakih is Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa director and the director of the Beirut office.

Kim Ghattas

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Kim Ghattas was a nonresident senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Ziad Majed

Ziad Majed is an Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Paris, and the author of several books.

Maha Yahya

Director, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Yahya is director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.