The spillover effects of the Syrian war on Lebanon.

Abstract

This thesis analyses the case of Lebanon, a country that has suffered the most from the spillover effects of the Syrian War. It aims to elucidate how the political, social and economic repercussions of the Syrian War has shaken Lebanon’s internal stability. Was the Lebanese political system strong enough to resist the Syrian impact? How did the social repercussions increase the Lebanese sectarian tensions? Were the Lebanese elites able to take decisions without foreign intervention? How did the economic effects affect the Lebanese demography and the livelihoods of Lebanese? To answer these questions, in-depth interviews with experts were conducted and publications were perused. Data was analyzed using the qualitative method. Each repercussion was appraised separately. As a result, the study produced several findings. First, the Lebanese power-sharing system, which was intended to regulate the internal conflict, failed to institute sustainable peace. Lebanese politicians were always at odds with one another and unable to agree over public policies. Although the Baabda Declaration clearly stated the nonintervention of Lebanon in Syria’s conflict, the Syrian War has generated political struggles. Lebanese politicians were always at odds with one another and unable to agree over public policies. This internal political conflict created a cabinet instability, an interruption of parliamentary and presidential elections, and a deterioration of the Lebanese security conditions with the penetration of terrorist groups into Lebanese border towns. Second, the Syrian War has increased the sectarian agitation between Shia and Sunni communities. In the case of civil wars, members of ethnic groups search for transnational ethnic ties for solidarity. Any event in Syria flared up the conflict in Tripoli: this was confirmed by the Sunni Bab al-Tabbaneh and Alawites Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods clashes. The Sidon armed conflict was, another example. The Syrian War also generated the spread of suicide bombings and politic