Will the Beirut explosion lead to political change in Lebanon?

After a devastating explosion ripped through the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, one of the key messages coming from many residents of Beirut has been “Lebanon deserves better”.

The blast killed at least 137 people, wounded about 5,000, left some 300,000 residents homeless and destroyed much of the city centre.

Many Lebanese are blaming decades of government corruption and mismanagement for the disaster.

The country was already in the midst of economic and financial crises before the disaster, while anti-government protesters have continued to demand an overhaul of the country’s political system since first taking to the streets last October.

So, can Lebanon rise from the destruction?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Alia Moubayed  – Chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa at investment bank Jefferies, London 

Rana Khoury  – Political activist 

Karim Makdisi – Founding director of the Public Policy & International Affairs Program at the American University of Beirut