The challenges facing Lebanese socialists

A discussion with the Workers International Network

A few weeks after the explosion that shook Beirut on August 4, 2020, I was asked to speak at an online event hosted by the Workers International Network. I was joined by Nadim Haidar, a socialist activist in Lebanon who could present a clearer picture of the mood on the ground.

The discussion tied the explosion to the ongoing uprising which started back in October 2019. Through that lens, we talked about the threat posed by the new “state of emergency” law which gives the military sweeping powers. We also touch on the important tasks ahead for socialists as well as the danger of confining discussion about Lebanon to corruption without tackling the sectarian system that it’s built on.