546 days without a president

WHEN is a crisis really a crisis in Lebanon? It can be hard to tell. With the country’s vibrant commerce, entrepreneurial buzz and relatively liberal social scene, it can be easy to overlook the rot underneath. The tiny nation of 4m regularly goes for stretches without a functioning government. Since the civil war ended 25 years ago residents have endured power shortages and woeful public services. And things are getting worse.

On the country’s Independence Day on November 22nd, marking 72 years since French rule ended, protests, which had just about ground to a halt after a summer high, drowned out the celebrations. Lebanon broke its own record for longest period without a president—546 days. Local papers now use the plural, writing of the country’s “crises” rather than “crisis”.