The Political Mental Map of the Lebanese People: Based on the Results of a National Opinion Survey Conducted in May–June 2010

The author examines the “political mental mapPolitical mental map” of the Lebanese people based on a national opinion survey conducted in 2010. The study investigates how recent political turmoil and external interventions have influenced Lebanese perceptions of foreign countries. The survey, conducted with the Beirut Center for Research and Information, reveals that Lebanese people view the Middle Eastern conflict through a bipolar lens: resistors/mediators like SyriaSyria, IranIran, and TurkeyTurkey versus Western and pro-US Arab countries. Lebanese rated their country’s contribution to regional stability modestly while showing high regard for mediators like TurkeyTurkey and QatarQatar, and low regard for the US and IsraelIsrael. The study underscores Lebanon’sLebanon complex political identity, caught between external interventions and internal aspirations for national reconciliation, reflecting both regional dynamics and local political realities.