Democracy Promotion in Lebanon: Policy Recommendations to the European Union for an improved Cooperation Model
Azzam, Lara (2025).
This Policy Brief examines democracy promotion in Lebanon in the aftermath of the 2019 popular uprising, amid multiple crises including economic collapse, political paralysis, and regional conflict. Research conducted between 2023 and 2024 highlights that obstacles to democratisation stem from entrenched domestic corruption and patrimonial systems, as well as international dynamics where EU and Western engagement is perceived as inconsistent and primarily serving elite interests. The brief argues that EU democracy promotion should be re-thought to be more context-sensitive, strategically timed, and focused on genuine empowerment of civil society and grassroots actors.
EMBRACE Policy Brief 11