As the deadline for electing a new president approaches, with just nine days remaining, the Lebanese parliament has attempted three electoral sessions without producing a new president. The fourth session is scheduled for this coming Monday, the 24th, and observers predict it will yield no results, similar to the previous attempts. In a last-minute scenario, the Lebanese may end up with an unexpected president or someone previously not considered for the role, reminiscent of past instances where a candidate was suddenly deemed fit due to external influences.
The electoral facts since 2007 demonstrate that Lebanon seemingly requires constant guardianship to avoid a presidential vacancy or to function under caretaker governments, as was the case for about a third of President Michel Sleiman's term, which was marred by caretaker administrations. This interregnum eventually led to a presidential void lasting from May 25, 2014, until October 31, 2016, when General Michel Aoun was elected. His tenure experienced unprecedented interruptions, with almost half of it spent under caretaker governments and delays in forming new ones.
Since October 17, 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with multiple, unprecedented crises on political, economic, social, and financial fronts, alongside a rising public debt and treasury deficit, leading many Lebanese to fall below the poverty line. Meanwhile, the Lebanese pound continues to depreciate, nearing 41,000 pounds per dollar, exacerbating the deterioration of living conditions for the Lebanese population.
Since late 2019, as the value of the dollar against the pound surged, purchasing power plunged, leading to a significant increase in living costs, which, according to Central Administration of Statistics data, soared by 272% from early 2020 until the end of August 2022. However, some experts and ordinary Lebanese, according to "International Information," observed that the price increases may have surpassed the officially stated rates, possibly exceeding 500%. The surge in prices for imported goods has outpaced the dollar's rise, mirroring trends in locally produced items. Consequently, the reported 272% increase in living costs may require reassessment due to the daily price escalations.
Currently, the price of a 95-octane gasoline canister exceeds the minimum wage by approximately one hundred pounds, while a gas cylinder approaches 500,000 Lebanese pounds. The latest recorded prices for fuels are as follows:
- 95-octane gasoline: 757,000 pounds
- 98-octane gasoline: 774,000 pounds
- Diesel: 916,000 pounds
- Gas: 450,000 pounds
As the Lebanese pound continues to collapse and prices rise, the cost of living for citizens has naturally escalated. According to "International Information," a study on the minimum living costs for a Lebanese family of four, taking into account differences based on whether one lives in a village or city, and whether they own or rent, concluded that living expenses range from 20 to 26 million pounds per month, with an average of 23 million pounds monthly.
