Lebanon’s tax hikes draw anger from economically frustrated public

Al JazeeraEN 5 min read 100% complete by Justin SalhaniFebruary 23, 2026 at 08:47 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In Lebanon, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government announced increases in petrol and sales taxes, sparking public anger and protests. On February 17, 2026, taxi drivers blocked roads in Beirut, and demonstrators gathered in Riad al-Solh Square to voice their discontent. Critics, including media outlets, have called the tax hikes "regressive," adding to the population's frustration amid an ongoing economic crisis since 2019, near-daily Israeli attacks, and collapsing buildings. The tax increases include a 300,000 Lebanese pound increase on 20 liters of petrol and a one percent increase in VAT. The public feels the tax increases are another indignity they must live through.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Al Jadeed 30% Israel 40% Megaphone News 40% Lebanese ×260% Beirut ×370% Nawaf Salam ×490% Lebanon ×4100%

Keywords

lebanon 90% tax hikes 80% economic crisis 80% regressive policy 70% protest 70% petrol taxes 60% vat increases 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.70

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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lebanon tax hikes economic crisis regressive policy protest petrol taxes vat increases

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