Once hailed as a rare democracy in the Middle East, Lebanon has now slipped into the ranks of closed autocracies. Decades of corruption, sectarian rule, and foreign meddling have left the country reeling — and the past year brought assassinations, mass displacement, and Israel’s full-scale war against Hezbollah in the south. With its economy in free fall and its political system on life support, Lebanon stands at a crossroads: could shifts in regional power, efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and a change in leadership pave the way for recovery, or will instability deepen?

Featured Guests:

Randa Slim
Senior Non-resident Fellow, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced and International Studies (SAIS) Foreign Policy Institute

Ayman Mahanna
Executive Director, Samir Kassir Foundation (SKF)