Will Lebanon remain trapped by its old fault lines in 2026?

BEIRUT: As Lebanon enters 2026, the national mood is defined less by a sense of recovery than by the daunting task of managing overlapping crises.

While the past year provided the first cautious stirrings of renewal, politicians and analysts alike describe 2026 as the pivotal year that will determine if these fragile foundations can support a permanent state.

For former MP Fares Saeed, the coming year is one where Lebanon must continue the deep soul-searching required to enter a true recovery phase.

“The year 2025 can be considered a year of rebuilding trust between the state and its citizens,” he told Arab News.

“Lebanon and the region are going through a transitional phase, which complicates internal solutions, and getting out of the situation we are in requires listening to the project that Pope Leo XIV brought to Lebanon to make peace. But Lebanon must first redefine its very raison d’etre if it is to truly recover.”