Lebanese people are turning the last pages of 2022, a year that has brought a multitude of tragedies and crises, marked by a series of political, economic, and living conditions that will have repercussions in the coming year, particularly as it left the Lebanese struggling with these crises without any prospects for a solution, while the ruling officials are distracted by political disputes, completely ignoring the suffering of the people.
In terms of political developments, January 2022 witnessed the exit of President Saad Hariri from Lebanese politics. He had previously decided to resign from the government in response to popular protests in 2019 and was later forced to decline the formation of a new government due to obstacles imposed by the "Free Patriotic Movement." This culminated in his boycott of the elections, leaving a sense of confusion, especially among the Sunni community.
May saw the parliamentary elections and the new results that emerged, regarding both new faces entering the parliament for the first time and those exiting, most of whom were aligned with the Syrian regime.
Summer of this year brought about the most significant event, as negotiations, albeit indirect, with the Israeli enemy led to the demarcation of maritime borders, thereby opening the door for Lebanon to invest in its oil wealth, even though no actual steps had been taken by Lebanon to realize this.
In addition to the above, October 2022 marked a notable moment with the conclusion of what was referred to as the "Strong Era," as President Michel Aoun left the Baabda Palace, ending six years during which the Lebanese suffered from "hunger, humiliation, and disgrace," their lives turned upside down—he who had heralded going to "hell," and they arrived there.
Throughout 2022, from its beginning to its last days, the economic crisis continued unabated, the most severe one that has undermined all standards of living for the Lebanese people, with the unprecedented collapse of the Lebanese lira's exchange rate, surpassing the 48,000 mark against the dollar, and the loss of depositors' funds in banks that experienced multiple incursions by those seeking to access their savings.
The year 2022 ended in a failure to elect a new president, despite ten electoral sessions, thus extending the presidential vacancy and economic collapse from 2022 into 2023.
Despite all the tragedies and hardships of this year, and the events that disrupted any economic recovery plan, the Lebanese, both residents and expatriates, continued to hold on to hope. The summer season, as well as the current holiday season, witnessed a surge of expatriates back home to revive Lebanon and provide it with temporary relief. However, this remains insufficient to address the substantial burdens that can only be alleviated by an effective political and legislative government that can lead Lebanon out of its crisis.
