Lebanon is in a state of uncertainty. According to the consensus of various parties, the presidential election will not take place on time due to a lack of agreement and the mutual ability to obstruct the quorum. The formation of the government remains elusive, as available information on the matter is limited to the occasional positive remarks by some officials, which are often countered by negative expressions from others. The picture of addressing the recurring life crises is murky, if not bleak, left to fate due to patchy solutions that vary from one sector to another, partial measures that satisfy some while upsetting others, and pave the way for obstructive actions by official administrations, thus keeping the country in a cycle of rightful demands and counter-demands, while the fundamental solution stemming from a recovery plan and the approval of reforms leading to an agreement with the International Monetary Fund suffers from difficulties and delays from year to year.
The danger now is that obstruction, having already transcended the judiciary, official administrations, and health and educational sectors, has reached the diplomatic corps, Lebanon's gateway to the outside world. Recent data indicates that nearly forty percent of Lebanese diplomatic missions in European and American countries have been closed, and most of those that remain open are operating on a precarious basis. They have ceased sending reports to the Foreign Ministry, which has a total of 70 vacant positions within it and its diplomatic corps. Moreover, there are 37 lawsuits filed against embassies and consulates for unpaid rent. The embassies and consulates, particularly in the five major countries, continue to operate thanks to contributions from the Lebanese expatriate communities and the donations of those with the means among the diaspora and businessmen.
In a statement to "Al Markaziya," concerned sources lament the current state of Lebanon's image abroad through its representations, from poverty and despair to lawsuits against embassies for unpaid rent— a woeful situation that no one would have imagined, especially after it flourished for over a decade due to the care and attention once given by the late President Rafik Hariri, who prioritized Lebanon's diplomatic missions during his travels and movements among decision-making countries and capitals.
