Despite military setbacks, Hezbollah maintains influence in Lebanon by providing essential services in areas the government neglects, according to Delaney Soliday and Adam Koussih of The National Interest. While President Aoun’s 2025 election win hurt Hezbollah politically, the group’s social welfare network still secures voter support. To weaken Hezbollah’s grip, Beirut must restore state services, fight corruption, and invest in infrastructure, with support from the US and Gulf partners. Replacing Hezbollah’s role as a provider is key to regaining public trust and ensuring long-term stability. They write:
While Lebanese president Joseph Aoun’selection in January 2025 dealt a severe blow to Hezbollah, the most significant source of the group’s popularity and legitimacy has been left unchecked. Hezbollah’s military wing frequently makes headlines, but the foundation of its support among ordinary Lebanese people is its social services wing. Multiple organizations, including the Jihad al-Binaa Development Group, Islamic Health Organization, and the Imam al-Mahdi Scouts, provide a range of public services such as basic infrastructure, education, healthcare, and paramilitary training for teenagers.
Hezbollah’s ability to supply public goods and social welfare to Lebanon’s poor and rural communities continues to pay off at the polls today, despite the results of the recent presidential election. In the May 2025 municipal elections, the Hezbollah-Amal joint ballot won most of its traditional strongholds in Beirut and southern Lebanon, winning 109 of 272 municipalities in the Nabatiyeh and South Governorates in addition to other contested seats. Ahead of next year’s 2026 legislative elections, Aoun’s government must regain control of the country’s social services if it wants to continue drawing support away from Hezbollah. […]
As long as Hezbollah can fulfill a sovereign state’s responsibilities, it will always hold leverage over its population, attracting support and undermining the legitimacy and capacity of the central government. By providing services that citizens once relied on a terrorist militia for, Beirut can regain the trust of its public and reassure them that their needs will be met when they head to the polls in May 2026.
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