The financial and economic collapse has severely impacted the lifestyle of the Lebanese people, threatening stability after the exchange rate of the Lebanese lira fell from 1505 liras to the dollar at the end of 2019, to 37800 liras as of yesterday afternoon. Although natural corrections led to improved incomes for some freelancers and private sector employees, public sector workers remained the hardest hit by this crisis. Many experts believe that the decision to raise their salaries in 2017 was a major reason for the financial collapse, as its cost to the already strained treasury multiplied significantly.
Senior state employees were also naturally affected by this collapse, as their salaries became meager, with most of them receiving around 330 dollars for the President of the Republic, descending to about 60 dollars for a soldier in the army and security institutions. However, this does not mean that their living conditions deteriorated at the same rate; there was no significant decline in the services available to them despite the reduction in the operational budgets of these institutions, except for some visible impacts on the Parliament building and the inability to hold certain sessions due to power outages, alongside the government’s restrictions on work hours and non-essential materials.
Mohammad Shams الدين, a researcher at "International Information," confirms that the crisis has not affected the living standards of the three presidents (Republic, Parliament, and Government) nor the leaders of security agencies, but it has devastated the lifestyles of employees, officers, and judges whose salaries have dropped to a frightening level, coinciding with the freeze of their savings in banks.
The basic salary of the President of the Republic is 4.5 million lira, and he receives a similar amount as a "representation allowance," and 3.5 million lira for "entitlements," bringing the total to 12.5 million lira, equivalent to around 8,300 dollars at the end of 2019, and about 330 dollars at the current black market exchange rate. The Speaker of Parliament receives a salary of 3.5 million lira in addition to 3.4 million lira in representation allowance, 1.125 million lira for a car allowance, 1.8 million lira for a driver and secretary, and 2 million lira for entitlements, totaling 11.825 million lira, which is about 312 dollars at the current exchange rate.
The Prime Minister has a basic salary of 3.5 million lira, plus 3.4 million lira in representation allowance, 1.25 million lira for a car allowance, 1.8 million lira for "car and phone," and 2 million lira for entitlements, amounting to 11.825 million lira, or 312 dollars. A Minister receives a basic salary of 3 million lira, 1.5 million lira in representation allowance, 1.25 million lira for a car allowance, 1.5 million lira for car and phone, and 2 million lira for entitlements, totalling 8.625 million lira, equivalent to around 228 dollars. A Member of Parliament receives 3 million lira as a basic salary, plus 1.5 million lira in representation allowance, 1.5 million for car and phone, 1.5 million for a driver and secretary, and 1 million lira in entitlements, totalling 8.5 million lira, or around 224 dollars.
Judges' salaries were notably adjusted in 2011, starting from 4.1 million lira at the first grade, rising to 9.35 million lira at the 22nd grade, the peak of the judicial hierarchy, equivalent to 247 dollars. After the judges' revolution, the faculty of Lebanese University also demanded increases in 2012, with university professors' salaries ranging from 3.7 million lira at the first grade to 8.425 million lira at the 22nd grade, approximately 222 dollars.
In 2017, the decision deemed the worst financial decision for the Lebanese state was made, leading to significant salary increases for public sector employees. For instance, a general director's salary reached 9.085 million lira (240 dollars), while the maximum salary for a second-category employee stands at 6.45 million lira (170 dollars), and for the third category, it is 4.3 million lira (113 dollars), and the fourth category is 2.58 million lira (66 dollars). In the army, a soldier's salary starts at a minimum of 1.332 million lira and goes up to a maximum of 2.306 million lira (61 dollars). A lieutenant’s salary can reach 3.4 million lira while a colonel earns 5.2 million lira (137 dollars), and a brigadier general earns 7.2 million lira (190 dollars). The army commander’s salary reaches about 9 million lira (238 dollars), plus additional allowances, some of which remain confidential.
