Transitioning From What to What?

Our aim as a movement is to ensure a transition from a socio-political system based on an obsolete coalition of sectarian leaders, to a new system in which Lebanese are treated as citizens with equal rights. This will only be possible with the establishment of a fully legitimate and competent state, meaning a civil state.

We believe that the current phase is a transitional one by nature. Indeed, the economic and financial collapse, and the huge losses that have been accumulated over the years resulted in the fall of the system of societal relations, which was built on many illusions such as the fixed exchange rate of the Lebanese Pound, the inevitability of immigration, the ever-increasing price of properties, sectarianism being eternal, the fallacious proverb affirming that “the power of Lebanon is in its weakness”, and others.

To highlight a few examples; clientelism and corruption in Lebanon are not the result of individual actions, but rather a web of relations centered around buying people’s loyalties and silence in exchange for benefits, positions, and privileges. If those in power lose their source of influence, such as the ability to hire and distribute benefits, the clientelist relationship dissipates and the regime will lose its power.

With the collapse of the economy and the heavy losses the society is enduring, the current power structure has come to an end. Indeed, the sectarian parties are losing their ability to control resources and bribe society, as they are not capable of attracting or borrowing more money. We are therefore automatically in a transitional phase in which the structure of relations is being reshaped.

The transition is undeniably happening. The question for every Lebanese today is: will we accept to once again be passively exploited by those who use sectarian identities and slogans, or will we seek to actively take part in this transition? In practice, we seek to manage this transitional period to avoid a complete breakdown of society. We strive to move from a set of clientelist relations justified by sectarian logic, to the legitimacy of a civil state that deals with society as citizens with equal rights and duties.