A surge of public anger sends Lebanon’s politicians reeling

Their grievances are almost too many to list: electricity shortages, undrinkable water, collapsing infrastructure, a poisoned environment. The economy is stagnant and corruption is rife (see chart). But it was WhatsApp that finally pushed the people of Lebanon to the breaking-point. Since October 17th many have joined a spontaneous outburst of anger at a fossilised political class. By some estimates more than 1m people have come out to demonstrate, in a country with fewer than 5m citizens. These are Lebanon’s largest protests in almost 15 years.

The unrest began after...