Some of Lebanon’s most critical laws, real estate laws, personal status laws, the Code of Obligations and Contracts, and the Code of Civil Procedure, are outdated by decades. Despite scattered amendments over the years, many of these legal frameworks remain virtually unchanged since the 1920s.
Take real estate law: it dates back to 1920. The Personal Status Law? 1926. These are the rules still governing core aspects of our society in 2025.
Only a few areas, such as commercial and tax law, have seen meaningful updates, but even those changes fall far short of what’s needed. Lebanon urgently needs a comprehensive legislative reform effort, one that doesn’t merely patch holes but rethinks the entire legal infrastructure in light of modern realities, legal loopholes, conflicting jurisprudence, and evolving citizen needs.
Why Reform Must Start with the Civil Procedure and Contract Law
Among the laws most in need of reform are the Civil Procedure Code and the Law of Obligations and Contracts.
The Civil Procedure Code directly impacts how swiftly and fairly justice is delivered. Outdated judicial processes cause delays, complicate the work of both judges and lawyers, and erode public trust in the legal system. Eliminating redundant steps and introducing digital tools for case management could dramatically improve access to justice.
Similarly, the Law of Obligations and Contracts affects every citizen’s financial and contractual life, from buying property to running a business. Its outdated provisions can create confusion and conflict. The courts have tried to fill in the gaps through jurisprudence, but litigation alone cannot substitute for legislative reform.
If anything proves the urgency of this issue, it’s the growing reliance on court decisions to interpret outdated laws, a reality that puts pressure on the judiciary and generates inconsistent outcomes.
Administrative Paralysis: A Second Front for Reform
Legal reform is only half the battle. Lebanon also faces a deep-rooted administrative challenge.
Many official transactions still require the signatures of multiple employees, creating bottlenecks and unnecessary delays. Worse, government departments are often scattered across various locations; sometimes even different towns, forcing citizens to spend entire days chasing paperwork. In some cases, people climb to the sixth floor of a public building without an elevator, only to find the power out or the office closed.
We don’t just need legal reform. We need administrative reorganization.
Imagine a single government complex in each governorate, housing courts, real estate offices, civil status bureaus, finance, urban planning, and social security under one roof. Centralizing services could save time, improve efficiency, and reduce citizen frustration.
Even more important is the shift toward e-governance and automation, a system where citizens complete their official paperwork online, without waiting in line or relying on personal connections. This is more than convenience; it’s the foundation of a transparent, modern state.
A Two-Way Street: Citizens and the State
Lebanese citizens are asked to fulfill many obligations, paying taxes, obeying the law, and participating in civic life. But the state also has obligations. It must provide a legal and administrative system that works, one that respects their time, secures their rights, and builds confidence.
Until full digital governance is implemented, the least the state can do is redesign its public administration with efficiency and dignity in mind.
Let’s not forget: one of the metrics used to rank countries globally is how efficiently a state administers its services and protects the rights of its citizens and businesses.
Lebanon deserves a legal system that reflects today’s world, not one that’s frozen in a century-old past.