Lebanon tax increases spark public frustration

Anger is rising in Lebanon following the government’s announcement of increased petrol taxes and a one percent hike in value-added taxes, which critics label as regressive. Protests erupted on February 17, with taxi drivers blocking roads and citizens expressing discontent over the government’s financial decisions. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam defended the tax increases as necessary to fund salaries and pensions, despite growing concerns about their impact on the country’s most vulnerable populations.

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