Seizing Lebanon’s Moment — Why Now?

Lebanon stands before a once-in-a-generation opportunity to resolve the dysfunctions that have hollowed out its state institutions, devastated its economy, threatened its peace, and undermined its sovereignty. Whether this moment is seized and becomes a catalyst for positive transformation or slips away into yet another lost opportunity will depend on the choices made or missed at this critical juncture.

In light of this fleeting reality, the Middle East Institute and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) undertook a joint initiative to publish a series of articles that lay out what those defining policy choices can look like. This collection offers policymakers and readers invested in Lebanon’s success a roadmap to restore the state’s sovereignty, revive the country’s economy, and redefine its international relationships. Each article addresses a core dysfunction of Lebanon’s political and economic system: a judiciary crippled by political interference, a central bank in urgent need of reform, an economy mired in crisis, an army struggling to assert its monopoly on force, and a state yet to formally demarcate its borders. Each piece then charts a sustainable path forward, combining actionable short-term reforms with a vision for the long term.

Lebanon’s future is not yet written; its fate is caught between the immense promise of what has yet to take root and the long shadow of the weakened but enduring forces that brought the country to ruin. The corrosive effect of war and years of state capture, economic crisis, institutional decay, and political violence did not dissipate with a mere changing of the guard. Still, in this fragile moment, there is not only an opening but also a responsibility to establish a credible state with stable borders, a functioning economy, a monopoly on force, and accountable governance. For too long, the Lebanese state has drifted rudderless amid the accumulating shocks of concurrent crises. Reforming and relaunching it is an arduous task that will require the commitment of domestic and international actors alike. There is no middle road for Lebanon — only the necessary, inconvenient work to guarantee success or the irreversible consequences of inaction.

How Lebanon and its partners rise to meet this moment will determine the country’s future and its place in the regional and international order for generations to come.

— Fadi Nicholas Nassar (MEI), Mattia Serra (ISPI), Luigi Toninelli (ISPI)
Joint Project Coordinators
October 15, 2025

Learn more about and read the articles in this series

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