Public sector strikes: when the Lebanese state comes to a standstill

This Thursday, October 23, Lebanon’s public sector is once again on strike. One more protest among dozens since the onset of the crisis, a sign of growing frustration among civil servants whose wages have collapsed and whose demands remain ignored. But how much is this paralysis really costing the country?

Since 2019, public sector strikes have multiplied across Lebanon, freezing ministries, public schools, courts, and state hospitals.

The latest movement, led by the Public Sector League, denounces the collapse of purchasing power: according to union estimates, public employees’ salaries now represent barely 20% of their 2019 value.

Added to that are higher pension deductions and the government’s failure to honor its promises. For many civil servants, striking has become both an act of protest and a symptom of the State’s disintegration.

A heavy economic toll

Each work stoppage further strains an already fragile economy. According to economists, public sector strikes have resulted in more than 150 cumulative days of paralysis since 2022 costing hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity.

Administrative delays keep piling up: frozen paperwork, suspended payments, pending notarizations, postponed school registrations a chain of inefficiencies that continues to slow Lebanon’s economic recovery. Local businesses also bear the consequences. A company owner explained: “Between strikes, power cuts, and endless procedures, it can take weeks to get a single document. It’s discouraging for anyone trying to invest.”

Public services on the brink

In education, health care, and municipal services, the impact is severe. Since 2020, students in public schools have lost the equivalent of over two academic terms due to repeated closures. Public hospitals operate at minimum capacity, while citizens queue for hours in offices that can no longer ensure basic services. The result is a deep loss of public trust. Many Lebanese now turn to private providers or unofficial channels to access what should be their most basic rights.

Reforms stuck in neutral

Despite repeated promises, the government remains stagnant. Administrative and salary reforms are stalled, budgets delayed, and political appointments continue to undermine merit and efficiency.

While neighboring countries such as Jordan and Egypt have begun modernizing their public sectors, Lebanon remains caught in a cycle of inaction. “You can’t rebuild a state with institutions on strike,” said an economist. Yet the indicators remain grim: inflation persists, no credible recovery plan is in place, and skilled civil servants are leaving for the private sector or abroad.

A legitimate anger, a vicious circle

The paradox is stark: civil servants are fighting for fair wages and dignity, a legitimate demand yet every strike deepens the crisis they’re trying to escape.

Without genuine reform or social dialogue, Lebanon risks remaining trapped in a vicious circle: a paralyzed state, deteriorating services, and a stagnant economy.

Public sector strikes come at a steep cost economically, socially, and symbolically. They expose the fragility of a state that can no longer function. As long as reforms remain words on paper and salaries fail to cover even a week of living expenses, Lebanon will continue to live from strike to strike, a nation on pause, waiting for renewal.