Lebanon is facing one of the most severe crises in its 100-year history, marked by the compounded effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the catastrophic Beirut port explosion of 4 August. In response to these overlapping emergencies, national authorities implemented highly controversial measures under the General Mobilisation Plan (GMP) and declared a State of Emergency (SoE). While Lebanon has experienced repeated periods of instability, the current reliance on martial law-style regulations is unprecedented. These measures are part of a broader global trend in which emergency responses have disrupted democratic norms and weakened the rule of law—a dynamic Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has described as a “pandemic of authoritarianism” running parallel to the health crisis.
This policy paper explains how Lebanon’s current emergency legal framework—specifically the application of SoE legislation—has undermined core democratic principles, eroded checks and balances, and curtailed citizens’ basic rights. It argues that these measures not only disregard constitutional safeguards but also betray the aspirations of those who mobilised in the October 2019 protests demanding dignity, accountability, and social justice.
To protect democratic governance, Lebanon’s leaders must reject the ongoing securitisation of public policy and instead prioritise legal and institutional reforms. These include reinforcing the independence of the judiciary, empowering the legislature, and aligning emergency responses with both domestic and international legal obligations. Without such a course correction, emergency powers risk becoming a tool for entrenching authoritarian practices rather than safeguarding public welfare.
* This policy paper was written by Karim El Mufti, Senior Researcher and Professor of Political Science, International Affairs, and International
Law. It was edited by André Sleiman (DRI’s Country Representative in Lebanon), Flora Cresswell (Programme Coordinator), Sabine El Hayek
(Legal Research Officer), and Gaelle Youssef (Project Coordinator).