EU Policies Towards Lebanon

Abstract

Lebanon is considered a semi-rentier state, whose economy is highly dependent on rents, and in particular financial aid from international donors. In light of the significant financial contribution provided by the European Union (EU), this research questions whether European Foreign Policy and aid allocation purely prioritizes self-strategic interests, based on realist assumptions, or whether it has a larger stake in genuine stability and democracy promotion of the country. In order to answer the research questions, the EU approach shall be investigated via the analytical lens of specific IR theories, alongside a comparative analysis of the approach of foreign actors. In particular, the EU during several international conferences representing landmark moments in EU-Lebanon relations, and the international approach vis-à-vis the current economic crisis, are key events to be analyzed in this paper. The combined analysis of these elements, alongside an assessment of the role of the refugee crisis and the new political trends emerging in Western countries, will lead to the conclusion that stability for Lebanon is of strategic interest insofar as it guarantees the allocation of foreign aid from Western Powers. Hence, it can be argued that the main driver behind the European foreign policy towards Lebanon follows the dictates of a stability-security nexus.