Lebanon’s newly elected parliament must urgently tackle the country’s financial crisis or the cash-strapped country will not get access to help from the European Union and may even face sanctions, MEP Christophe Grudler told The National on Tuesday.
“The most important thing to do now that the elections are over is to focus on the financial system,” said Mr Grudler. “I think that the EU must not be afraid of inflicting sanctions if we give money and it ends up in the pockets of the same people.
“We’re not here to help Lebanese oligarchs.”
Lebanon’s economy crashed in 2019 after years of mismanagement of the country’s finances by its ruling elite. Poverty rates soared from 42 per cent of the population in 2019 to 82 per cent last year, according to the UN.
Sunday’s parliamentary election, including the provision of ballot boxes and ink, was funded in large part by the European Union. At a little more than 40 per cent, turnout was lower than in 2018.
The IMF agreed in April to give Lebanon access to the equivalent of around $3 billion, but only if it implements a series of difficult reforms, including restructuring the financial sector.
Lebanese politicians have promised yet not delivered such reforms since at least 2018, when France hosted an international community to help Lebanon.
"If there's no agreement with the IMF, Lebanon is dead. The number of people emigrating will be massive. (Lebanon) will be an empty shell," said Mr Grudler.
Lebanon is already experiencing its third mass exodus, the American University of Beirut said in September.
Analysts fear the results of the country's latest parliamentary election, which yielded a further polarized parliament, may delay decision-making.
Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies lost their majority in parliament, while the Lebanese Forces, a Christian group fiercely opposed to Hezbollah, grabbed at least 10 more seats than in 2018.
But Mr Grudler, who was one of seven MEPs who took part in an EU election observation mission to Lebanon, said he was “optimistic” about the chances of lawmakers collaborating to implement reforms.
Mr Grudler, a French national, is a member of the centrist Renew group in the European Parliament and one of the rapporteurs of an EU parliament resolution that urged for sanctions on Lebanese officials in September 2021.
The resolution came three months after the EU adopted a legal framework to sanction Lebanese officials who undermine democracy or the rule of law. It has yet to implement it.
The election of around 13 independent Lebanese opposition figures on Sunday is a good signal to the international community, said Mr Grudler.
“It’s not a coincidence that some of the system’s most emblematic figures lost,” he told The National. “It’s the beginning of change.”
A handful of prominent MPs who had been in parliament since Lebanon’s first post-civil war election in 1992 lost their seats to newcomers. One of the most striking examples of such losses was the defeat of Druze leader Talal Arslane after 30 years in power, in the face of an opposition candidate, university professor Marc Daou.
Speaking about Lebanon’s traditional parties, Mr Grudler said they needed to reform. “We know there will be international investigations into the country’s finances and ill-gotten wealth,” he said.
The EU’s criminal justice agency froze in late March assets worth 120 million euros ($132 million) of Lebanese assets as part of an investigation into central bank governor Riad Salameh.
'Voter choice undermined by vote-buying'
The chief observer of the EU election observation mission to Lebanon, Gyorgy Holvenyi said on Tuesday it was “a great success that the election took place”.
Yet the mission wrote in a preliminary statement issued on the same day that “vote-buying and clientelist practices seriously undermined the voters’ choice”.
The EU’s statement noted that “election day was marked by localised tensions, weak performance of the polling staff, and often intrusive presence of candidate agents”.
Representatives of political parties are allowed in polling stations to observe the election but often outnumbered state representatives who were not often in control of the process, according to the EU.
“I was very struck by how vote buying was quite open. Each party said others did it, but not them,” said Mr Grudler. “Corruption won’t disappear from one day to the next. It will take time.”
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
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UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
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Funds raised: $22 million
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
if you go
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Disposing of non-recycleable masks
Use your ‘black bag’ bin at home
Do not put them in a recycling bin
Take them home with you if there is no litter bin
- No need to bag the mask
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
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South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp
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Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
