Stark warning of Christian state underrepresentation in Lebanon

Source: Nida Al Watan

Two separate and alarming reports, entitled “The Dangerous Bleeding Continues... We Await Your Response,” were sent by the Labora Foundation to all religious, ministerial, parliamentary, and party authorities. The reports outline the serious decline in Christian representation within the public sector, highlighting what they describe as the escalating erosion of Christian rights and the replacement of Christian public employees with employees from other sects, particularly from the Shiite community.

Nidaa Al Watan obtained both reports. Despite the gravity of the information they contain, supported by statistical data, it has learned that the Labora Foundation received virtually no response from the authorities to whom the reports were sent, with only a small number replying.

Below is Report No. 2, which addresses what it describes as the continuation of a plan to remove Christians from the state, amid what it characterizes as complete and surprising silence from the relevant authorities.

Regarding decrees and appointments issued from February 2026 to the present, the report states that numerous administrative and legal violations have been documented, in addition to what it describes as an undermining of sectarian balance in administrative positions, the takeover of positions traditionally held by Christians, and the absence of the principle of administrative rotation. According to the report, these developments demonstrate a serious intensification of efforts to undermine balance, parity, and partnership.

Among the most notable cases cited are the following:

Ogero

The head of the Hazmieh Ogero Center, a Maronite, retired, and a Shiite employee was assigned to head the center.

Ministry of Public Health / Beirut University Hospital

A total of 106 employees were hired without any public announcement of vacancies or an open recruitment process. None of those hired were Christians, despite the existence of employment applications submitted by Christian candidates that were already on file in the office of the Director General.

Ministry of Energy and Water

There were originally four permanent departments that had not been abolished by law. Today, Christians occupy only two of them.

The Electrical Equipment Department had been headed on an acting basis by a qualified Maronite employee. After the position became vacant, the Director General assumed its responsibilities on an acting basis.

Within the Directorate General of Water and Electrical Resources, which comprises ten departments, draft decrees were prepared to promote employees to the Second Category. The proposed promotions were distributed as follows: four Shiites, two Sunnis, and one Christian.

A draft decree also proposes promoting a Shiite employee within the Directorate General of Petroleum, despite pending judicial cases against her, while two Christian employees were excluded for the same stated reason.

Conversely, efforts are underway to promote three Christian administrative (non-technical) employees within the Directorate of Investment.

The Irrigation Projects Department was legally abolished under Law No. 247/2000, yet a Shiite employee continues to occupy the position on an acting basis.

In the Electrical Equipment Department, in October 2025, an agricultural engineer from the Shiite community was assigned responsibility instead of the Maronite electrical engineer who had been serving in the position on an acting basis. He was the only Maronite within the Directorate of Resources, indeed within the Ministry of Energy and Water. Following a decision by the State Shura Council suspending implementation of the minister’s decision, the assignment was cancelled. However, instead of reinstating the employee who had previously served in the position, the Director General was tasked with managing the department. No candidate was submitted for promotion.

The Surroundings Department was abolished under Law No. 247/2000, yet it continues to be managed on an acting basis by a Shiite employee. It also remains unclear who would manage the department if the promotion of the Head of the Expropriation Department is approved.

Design Department: A Shiite employee currently occupies the position on an acting basis, and her name has been submitted for promotion to the Second Category and appointment as head of the department.

Expropriation and Water Rights Department: Currently headed on an acting basis by a Shiite employee. Another Shiite employee has been nominated for promotion to the Second Category and appointment as head of the department.

Technical Installations Department: Following the retirement of Engineer Georges Rizk in February 2026, no replacement was appointed. The name of a Catholic candidate, who had been serving as head of the Bureau Department despite being an architect, was submitted for promotion to the Second Category and appointment as head of the department. However, she is due to retire within two years.

Groundwater Department: Previously managed on an acting basis by an Orthodox employee, but the name of a Shiite employee has been submitted for promotion to the Second Category and appointment as head of the department.

Studies Department: A Sunni employee occupies the position on an acting basis. The department itself was abolished under Law No. 247/2000, yet she remains in office.

Bureau Department: A Catholic employee heads the department on an acting basis. Her name has been submitted for promotion to the Second Category and appointment to the Technical Installations Department. It remains unclear who will manage the Bureau Department, which will remain vacant.

In contrast, within both the Directorate of Resources and the Directorate General of Petroleum, no draft decree was submitted to promote two Christian employees to the Second Category on the grounds that judicial cases were pending against them, despite a promotion decree being submitted for their colleague who also faces judicial proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Directorate of Investment is pursuing the promotion of three Christian administrative, non-technical employees.

Beirut Municipality

An employee belonging to a particular sect was reinstated to his position despite continuing to face financial-related judicial proceedings. In contrast, a Christian employee was not reinstated to his position despite the issuance of suspension decisions by the relevant Lebanese oversight authorities.

Ministry of Agriculture

Decree No. 2660, dated 26 March 2026, concerning the appointment of trainee agricultural technical assistants, included candidates aged between 40 and 47, which the report argues violates applicable laws and regulations regarding age requirements.

The decree also appointed candidates who had passed the competitive examination more than two years earlier, opening the door for numerous others to demand equal treatment and access to public employment. This also disregarded the opinion of the Civil Service Board, which maintains that examination results should remain valid for only two years for entry into public service.

According to the report, a similar situation occurred at the Ministry of Justice.

Ministry of Justice

Regarding the appointment of judicial assistants, during the Cabinet session of 26 February 2026, several ministers objected that more than two years had elapsed since the competitive examination, thereby giving the government discretionary authority. It subsequently became clear that 14 years had passed since the examination.

The Cabinet therefore decided to conduct interviews with the top 100 ranked candidates, based on both ranking and qualifications. However, contrary to that decision, a number of judicial assistants who had passed the examination in 2013 were ultimately appointed.

Ministry of Public Works and Transport

Beirut Airport (Rafic Hariri International Airport)

Beirut International Airport Authority:

At its session on 25 June 2026, the Cabinet approved the founding statutes of the Beirut International Airport Authority.

As details of the new structure emerged, certain parties reportedly demanded that the presidency of the authority be assigned to the Sunni community while, according to the report, overlooking the declining Christian presence.

The report states that Christians now account for only about one-third or less of Second- and Third-Category positions at Beirut Airport and within the Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority, while Muslims hold roughly two-thirds, with the exception of the Deputy Airport Director position. First-Category positions are divided between Sunnis and Shiites.

According to the report:

- Chairman of the Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority: Shiite

- Executive Director General of the Authority: Shiite

- Airport Director: Shiite

- Chairman and Director General of Middle East Airlines (MEA): Sunni

Approximately 80% of MEAS managers at the airport are Sunnis or Shiites, with only one Christian.

The concessionaire for René Moawad (Qlayaat) Airport consists of companies and contractors from northern Lebanon belonging to the Sunni community.

The report argues that the Constitution guarantees equality among citizens and parity in senior leadership positions (First- and Second-Category posts). It also states that constitutional convention provides that the deputy head of an authority should belong to the Christian community when its president is Muslim, and vice versa, in addition to maintaining parity between Christians and Muslims in senior positions.

The report further alleges:

There are no permanent Christian-held Second-Category positions. Positions vacated by retiring Christian officials have remained vacant, while Third-Category employees have been assigned on an acting basis, leaving permanent appointments unfilled.

Rather than filling positions according to the administrative structure of the Civil Aviation Directorate within the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, appointments have instead proceeded under the organizational structure of the Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority issued on 24 June 2004.

Ministry of Finance

The head of the Media Relations Department was transferred by memorandum issued by the Minister of Finance, based on a decision dating back to 2023, despite having earned a PhD three months earlier.

She was removed from her position as department head, her responsibilities were transferred to a Shiite employee, and she was reassigned to the Public Relations and Awareness Department, where she now reports to a Shiite department head. The report describes this as an administrative and legal violation that undermines both public administration and sectarian balance by transferring positions traditionally occupied by Christians without observing administrative rotation.

Considerable dissatisfaction reportedly exists within the Real Estate Departments, particularly in Mount Lebanon, especially in Baabda, Jounieh, and North Metn, over administrative measures affecting employees and disrupting work. Complaints submitted to the Ministry of Finance have reportedly yielded no results, and some employees are considering collective resignations, particularly since departments in other regions are allegedly exempt from these measures.

Under Decree No. 2636 of 12 March 2026, 54 trainee accountants were appointed to the staffing structures of public administrations. Only three of them were Christians.

Ministry of Tourism

According to the report, the majority of department heads belong to a single sect, with no action taken to address the imbalance.

One employee ranked first in the Fifth Advanced Training Course, which qualifies Third-Category administrative employees for promotion to the Second Category. Under established practice, the highest-ranked candidate is entitled to choose the position most appropriate to his or her qualifications and experience.

However, instead of appointing this employee to the Archaeological Sites Department, currently headed by a Maronite and intended to be transferred to the vacant Development Department (both regarded by the report as Christian-designated positions), the authorities intend to appoint him instead to the Bureau Department, a position allocated to the Shiite community, while assigning the aforementioned departments to members of other sects.