Sectarian influence in Lebanon: A closer look at institutional integrity

With every pivotal event in Lebanon, sectarian considerations come to the forefront.

Sectarian interests often take precedence over government formation and filling key positions, particularly in top-tier roles within institutions and public administrations.

However, the accurate measure lies in the decisions made by the government.

During the tenure of the former Banque du Liban (BDL) Governor, Riad Salameh, government support policies contributed to the financial collapse, leading to an unprecedented surge in the exchange rate, stabilizing around LBP 89,000 per US dollar. Despite these policies, the BDL failed to contain the crisis.

Salameh's term ended, and his Shiite deputy assumed office after negotiations with the Prime Minister halted the subsidy policy, including payments to Electricite du Liban (EDL) for purchasing fuel for industries.

In collaboration with the Finance Ministry, measures were implemented to stabilize the exchange rate.

This was not due to the sectarian background of Salameh, Maronite, or his successor, Mansouri, Shiite, but rather because the government acknowledged an inevitable and substantial collapse. The BDL continued its operations regardless of its leadership.

Similarly, the General Security remained unaffected by the appointment of Brigadier Elias Baysari, a Maronite, as its head, succeeding Major General Abbas Ibrahim, a Shiite, who remained the general director for 12 years.

The security institution continued its functions, issuing tenders for biometric passports, processing requests to regularize the status of Arab and foreign nationals, and maintaining a focus on the Syrian refugee file. The General Security obtained data on the displaced persons and is evaluating it in preparation for voluntary return.

These two examples reveal that the country's functionality is independent of the sects of those in power.

Sectarian affiliation often serves as a distraction, while the effectiveness of institutions is better evaluated based on the competence of their employees and leaders and their ability to sustain themselves beyond the personalization of positions.