The majority of Lebanese citizens are experiencing severe economic hardship, with those displaced from the south being the most severely affected and facing deplorable conditions. Amidst these worsening circumstances, the Lebanese parliament has decided to increase the monthly salary of its members from 3,000 to 5,000 dollars.
Some affluent MPs voiced what resembled an objection, with some even saying they will spend from their own pocket to meet the needs of the regions they represent.
Most lawmakers achieved their goal of securing parliamentary seats by spending their own personal wealth - and in some cases, inherited family fortunes - to win over voters. Furthermore, others were propelled into office by various means, whether through external or internal backing. Consequently, the parliamentary monthly salary matters little to them, whether it increases or not.
It is as if this raise is framed as a response to living conditions, suggesting that MPs struggle just like their constituents and the rest of the impoverished population. They contend that the war has caused a qualitative disruption, impacting commodity prices including oil, whose soaring cost imposes a heavy burden on the Lebanese majority. This has led to an unprecedented phenomenon in both Lebanon and the wider Arab world, where citizens, driven by deteriorating conditions, now use motorcycles to transport their entire families, including adults and children.
Within the parliament, some MPs may be surprised that the legislature, responsible for enacting laws, occasionally passes legislation without extensive debate. The basis for this view is that a lawmaker is, in principle, in the service of the public. This service entails necessary operational costs, whether for advocacy efforts or because certain situations demand mobilization that requires funding beyond personal finances. Consequently, from this perspective, the parliamentary salary ultimately serves the interests of the constituents - an explanation that some may find convincing.
Furthermore, monthly salaries for lawmakers are standard practice in many legislatures worldwide. However, in many countries, these salaries do not pose a burden on the state's general budget. This is evident in the United States, where a member of Congress receives an annual salary of around 175,000 dollars, and in the United Kingdom, where the annual parliamentary salary stands at 86,000 pounds, supplemented by allowances for travel and official assignments.
The purpose of this comparison regarding Lebanon specifically is to highlight that while the parliamentary salary increase aligns with global legislative traditions, it occurs at a time when parliamentary debates fail to secure even a small percentage of electricity in Lebanon. Furthermore, critical issues regarding corruption and the failure to safeguard judicial independence receive no decisive attention.
This is taking place while southern Lebanon is experiencing a situation closely resembling the Israeli expansion in Gaza and that is also unfolding across the West Bank driven by Israeli settlers. These settlers receive implicit encouragement from their government, which relies on obfuscation, while its prime minister remains solely consumed by the fear of losing the elections; such an outcome would lead to his imprisonment and accountability for the ongoing aggression that is aimed at altering the envisioned two-state roadmap.
