List of political parties in Lebanon
Member State of the Arab League |
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Lebanon has over 88 political parties. Since 2005, and after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, the political scene has become very polarised, with most major political parties and movements becoming part of one of two big rival alliances, the March 8 Alliance mainly lead by Hezbollah, Free Patriotic Movement, Amal Movement, Tayyar Al Marada and the Tashnaq and on the opposing side, the March 14 Alliance.The name "14th March alliance", dates back to the Cedar Revolution which had as its goal an end to the Syrian military occupation. The groups are ideologically divided as one of them is pro-Lebanon "The 14 March Alliance", are in favour of, "free competitive markets, rule of law, structural reforms as well as individual freedoms. On the other hand "The 8 March Alliance" mainly controlled by Hezbollah and the Amal movement prefers more open relations with sanctioned eastern countries such as Iran for financial help and political rival crushing. They have tried to ask for financial help many times from Iran but the "14 March Alliance" has always opposed Iran's help as Iran always wanted to grip its claws to Lebanon with its militia/military proxy in Lebanon "Hezbollah".
Since the election of Michel Aoun as president in 2016 and the formation of a new Government headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri , There were two sides, the March 14 alliance which surprisingly supported the election of Michel Aoun but only if mainly the Lebanese Forces having 7/20 of the governmental seats. Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea signed the "maarab agreement" and it was considered a historical peace between two rival and old political parties. Michel Aoun ended up not fiving the required seats to the Lebanese forces but samir geagea did not seem to complain until after the "17 october revolution" in Lebanon which samir geagea tried his best in trying to impress but to no avail. namely sides that were against the election of Michel Aoun as president in the 2016 elections, consisted of traditional non-sectarian parties such as the Kataeb party, the National Liberal Party. Since then, the political scene has been witnessing the emergence of new non-sectarian political groups such as Lihaqqi and Citizens in a State (MMFIDAWLA), in addition to many civil society groups who were loosely allied during the last parliamentary elections.Although they share a common goal to replace what they consider a failed political model, that was introduced following the end of the civil war leading to the 2020 economic crisis, they are not unified in order to assimilate and conquer the prevailing government. The then-elected government has failed its duties as a government and the Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, attempted to resign while he was in Saudi Arabia in 2017, but it was ruled unconstitutional. Later on, during the October protests he resigned as Prime Minister. Moreover, he was later designated in October,2020 once again as Prime Minister nevertheless his attempt at creating a government did not take place.
The consociational power-sharing model that tries to minimise conflict and promote equality are not written in the Constitution of 1926, nor has it appeared in the post-Civil War Taef Agreement.[1] Lebanon's unique experiment of a Sectarian Democracy trying to blend democratic principles and religious allocation of roles and functions together with 18 religious laws being applied to citizens’ personal status, in contradiction with the fundamental principles of democracy, the sovereignty of the people and equality of rights between the citizens has led to the sectarian division of the Lebanese people by law, to politically weak institutions, a divided nation and the chain of historical events such as the 1958 crisis and the 1975 civil war, Palestinian militant attacks against Israel from Lebanese territory, occupation of Lebanon by Syrian forces in 1976 and by Israeli forces in 1982 and the actual presence of weapons in the hands of Hezbollah outside the control of the Lebanese Government. Article 24 of the Constitution assigns half the seats in the national's legislature, the Chamber of Deputies, to Christians and the other half to Muslims.[2]
However, after the 2018 parliamentary elections, the political power in Lebanon shifted dramatically, with the Free Patriotic Movement leading in the number of seats in the Parliament and the Future Movement losing almost half of its seats. The Lebanese Forces almost doubled their seats in the Parliament.
Parties
Although most parties maintain that they are secular, the major political parties in Lebanon are loosely representative of a certain faith community. In 2005, the political scene became strongly polarized with most active political parties belonging to either the 8th and 14 March alliances. Since then, this division has become less and less significant as coalition governments became the norm. The following list places political parties within the two alliances.
Parties currently represented in parliament
Party | Abbr. | Leader or Chairman | MPs | Political position & ideology | Alliance | Primary demographic | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Free Patriotic Movement التيار الوطني الحرّ at-Tayyār al-Waṭanī al-Horr |
FPM | Gebran Bassil | 24 / 128
|
Centrist Liberal democracy |
March 8 | Christian | |
Future Movement تيار المستقبل Tayyār al-Mustaqbal |
FM | Saad Hariri | 20 / 128
|
Conservative liberalism Lebanese nationalism Economic liberalism |
March 14 | Officially secular Mainly Sunni | |
Amal Movement حركة أمل Ḥarakat Amal |
Amal أمل |
Nabih Berri | 16 / 128
|
secularism | March 8 | Shiite | |
Lebanese Forces القوات اللبنانية al-Quwwāt al-Lubnānīyah |
LF | Samir Geagea | 15 / 128
|
Lebanese Christian nationalism right-wing | March 14 | Christian | |
Hezbollah حزب الله Ḥizbu 'llāh |
HA | Hassan Nasrallah | 13 / 128
|
Shia Islamism | March 8 | Shiite | |
Progressive Socialist Party الحزب التقدمي الإشتراكي Ḥizb at-Taqadummi al-Ishtiraki |
PSP | Walid Jumblatt | 7 / 128
|
Democratic socialism Social democracy |
None | Officially secular Mainly Druze | |
Kataeb Party (Phalanges) حزب الكتائب اللبنانية Ḥizb al-Katā'ib al-Lubnānīya |
Kataeb | Samy Gemayel | 3 / 128
|
Lebanese nationalism Democracy Social conservatism Decentralization |
March 14 | Officially secular Mainly Maronite | |
Marada Movement تيار المردة Tayyār al-Marada |
MM | Suleiman Frangieh | 3 / 128
|
Liberalism | March 8 | Mainly Maronite | |
Armenian Revolutionary Federation الإتحاد الثوري الأرمني - الطاشناقا Հայ Յեղափոխական Դաշնակցութիւն Hay Heghapokhagan Tashnagtsutiun |
ARF ՀՅԴ |
Hagop Pakradounian | 3 / 128
|
Social democracy Armenian nationalism |
March 8 | Secular Mainly Armenian | |
Azm Movement تيار العزم Tayyār al-Azm |
Najib Mikati | 3 / 128
|
Centrism Secularism |
March 8 | Secular Mainly Sunni | ||
Syrian Social Nationalist Party الحزب السوري القومي الإجتماعي al-Ḥizb as-Sūrī al-Qawmī al-'Ijtimā'ī |
SSNP | Ali Qanso | 3 / 128
|
Syrian nationalism Left-wing nationalism |
March 8 | Secular | |
Dignity Movement تيار الكرامة Tayyār al-Karāma |
DM | Faisal Karami | 1 / 128
|
Arab nationalism Anti-Zionism Pan-Arabism |
March 8 | Sunni Muslim | |
Lebanese Democratic Party الحزب الديمقراطي اللبناني al-Ḥizb ad-Dimoqrati al-Lubnāni |
LDP | Prince Talal Arslan | 1 / 128
|
Conservatism | March 8 | Officially secular Mainly Druze | |
Union Party حزب الإتحاد Ḥizb al-Ittiḥād |
UP | Abdelrahim Mrad | 1 / 128
|
Nasserism | March 8 | Officially secular Mainly Sunni | |
Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in Lebanon حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي في لبنان Ḥizb al-Ba‘th al-‘Arabī al-Ishtirākī fī Lubnān |
Assem Qanso | 1 / 128
|
Socialism Arab nationalism |
March 8 | Secular | ||
Popular Nasserist Organization التنظيم الشعبي الناصري at-Tanzim ash-Shaabi an-Nassiri |
PNO | Ossama Saad | 1 / 128
|
Nasserism Socialism Arab nationalism |
March 8 | Sunni | |
Islamic Charitable Projects Association جمعية المشاريع الخيرية الإسلامية Jamʿīyah al-Mashārīʿ al-Khayrīyah al-ʾIslāmīyah |
ICPA الأحباش al-Aḥbāsh |
Shaykh Hussam Qaraqira | 1 / 128
|
Religious pluralism Islamic neo-traditionalism Anti-Salafism |
March 8 | Sunni | |
Sabaa Partyحزب سبعة Hizb Sabea |
Multiple | 1 / 128
|
Liberalism | None | Secular | ||
National Dialogue Party حزب الحوار الوطني Ḥizb al-Hiwar al-Watani |
NDP | Fouad Makhzoumi | 1 / 128
|
Liberalism | None | Officially secular Mainly Sunni |
Other parties
Party | Abbr. | Leader or Chairman | Political position & ideology | Primary demographic |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arab Democratic Party الحزب العربي الدمقراطي al-Ḥizb al-Arabi ad-Dimoqraty |
ADP | Ali Eid | Arab nationalism Arab Socialism |
Alawite Muslim |
Independent Nasserite Movement - Al-Mourabitoun حركة الناصريين المستقلين - المرابطون Ḥarakat an-Nassiriyin al-Mustakilleen - al-Mourabitoon |
INM | Ibrahim Kulaylat | Nasserism Arab nationalism |
Mainly Sunni Muslim Some Shiite and Druze |
Toilers League رابطة الشغيلة Rabitat ash-Shaghila |
LT | Zaher Khatib | Communism Arab nationalism |
Secular |
Solidarity Party حزب التضامن Ḥizb at-Tadamon |
Tadamon | Emile Rahme | Liberalism | Christian |
People's Movement حركة الشعب Ḥarakat ash-Shaeb |
SHAAB | Ibrahim al-Halabi | Nasserism Socialism Arab nationalism |
Secular |
Christian Democratic Union الحزب المسيحي الدمقراطي al-Hizb al-Massihi al-Dimoqrati |
CDU | Neemtallah Abi Nasr | - | Christian |
Nasserite Unionists Movement الحركة التوحيدية الناصرية al-Ḥaraka at-Tawhidiyya an-Nassiriyya |
NUM | - | Nasserism | Secular |
Islamic Labor Front جبهة العمل الإسلامي Jebhat al-A'amal al-Islamy |
- | Fathi Yakan | Islamism | Sunni Muslim |
Arab Unification Party تيار النوحيد اللبناني Tayyār at-Tawhid al-Lubnany |
LUM | Wiam Wahhab | Arab nationalism | Officially secular Mainly Druze |
Promise Party حزب الوعد Ḥizb al-Waad |
NSDP | Gina Hobeika | Secularism | Officially secular Mainly Maronite Christian |
Federation of Popular Leagues and Committees تجمع اللجان والروابط الشعبية Tajamo' al-Lijan wal Rawabit ash-Shaabiya |
FPLC | Maan Bashour | Nasserism Arabic Nationalism |
Officially secular Mainly Sunni Muslim |
Arab Socialist Union الإتحاد الإشتراكي العربي al-Ittiḥād al-Ishtiraki al-Arabi |
SAU | Omar Harb | Socialist | Secular |
Democratic Nasserite Movement حركة الناصريين الدمقراطيون Ḥarakat al-Nassiriyin ad-Dimocratiyoon |
DNM | - | Nasserism | Sunni Muslim |
Lebanese Arab Struggle Movement حركة النضال العربي اللبناني Ḥarakat an-Nidal al-Arabi al-Lubnani |
LASM | Faysal Dawood | Arabism | Officially secular Mainly Druze |
Islamic Unification Movement حركة التوحيد الإسلامي Ḥarakat at-Tawhid al-Islamy |
IUM | Said Shaaban | Islamism | Sunni Muslim |
Party | Abbr. | Leader or Chairman | Political position & ideology | Primary demographic |
---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal Party حزب الوطنيين الأحرار Ḥizb al-Waṭaniyyīn al-Aḥrār |
NLP | Dory Chamoun | Liberalism | Maronite Christian |
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party حزب الهنشاق (حزب الهنشاق الديمقراطي الإجتماعي) Ḥizb al-Henchag Սոցիալ Դեմոկրատ Հնչակեան Կուսակցութիւն Sotsial Demokrat Hnchakyan Kusaktsutyun |
SDHP ՍԴՀԿ |
- | Democratic socialism Social democracy |
Armenian secular |
Islamic Group الجماعة الإسلامية al-Jamaa al-Islamiya |
JI | Azzam Al-Ayoubi | Islamist | Sunni Muslim |
Democratic Left حركة اليسار الديمقراطي Ḥarakat al-Yassar ad-Dimoqrati |
DL | Elias Attallah | Left-wing | Secular |
Democratic Renewal حركة التجدد الدمقراطي Ḥarakat at-Tajaddod ad-Dimoqrati |
DRM | Farouk Jabre | Reformism | Secular |
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party - Ramgavar حزب الرمغفار (الحزب الديمقراطي الليبرالي الأرمني) Ḥizb ar-Ramgavar Ռամկավար Ազատական Կուսակցութիւն Ramgavar Azadagan Gusagtsutyun |
ADL ՌԱԿ |
Hagop Kassardjian | Liberalism | Armenian secular |
Free Lebanese Armenian Movement حركة اللبنانيين الأرمن الأحرار Ḥarakat al-Lubnaniyin al-Arman al-Ahrar |
FLAM | - | Liberalism | Armenian-secular |
Free Shia Movement التيار الشيعي الحرّ at-Tayyār ash-Shi'iy al-Hurr |
TSH | Mohammad Al Hajj Hassan | Islamism | Shiite Muslim |
Lebanese Peace Party حزب السلام اللبناني Ḥizb as-Salam al-Lubnany |
LPP | Roger Edde | Centrism Decentralization Big tent[3] |
Secular |
Syriac Union Party ܓܒܐ ܕܚܘܝܕܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ܒܠܒܢܢ حزب الاتحاد السرياني Ḥizb al-Ittiḥād as-Siryani |
SUP | Ibrahim Mrad | Syriac Christian interests | Mainly Syriac Christian |
Shuraya Party ܫܘܖܝܐ حزب شوريا Ḥizb ash-Shuraya |
Assyrianism | Assyrian |
Non-aligned
Party | Abbr. | Leader or Chairman | Political position & ideology | Primary demographic |
---|---|---|---|---|
Citizens in a State مواطنون ومواطنات في دولة Mouwatinoun wa Mouwatinat fi Dawla |
MMFD | Charbel Nahas | Revolutionary | Secular |
Lebanese Social Democratic Party حزب الدمقراطي الإشتراكي Ḥizb ad-Dimoqraty al-Ishtiraki |
DSPL | Kamel Asaad | Socialism | Secular Mainly Shiite Muslim |
Lebanese National Bloc حزب الكتلة الوطنية Ḥizb al-Kitla al-Wataniya |
NB | Salam Yamout | Centrist Lebanese nationalism |
Secular Historically Maronite Christian |
Lebanese Communist Party الحزب الشيوعي اللبناني al-Ḥizb aš-Šuyūʿī al-Lubnānī |
LCP | Hanna Gharib | Communism | Secular |
Green Party of Lebanon حزب الخضر اللبناني Ḥizb al-Khodor al-Lubnanī |
GPL | Philip Skaf | Green politics Nationalism Conservatism |
Secular |
Hizb ut-Tahrir حزب التحرير Ḥizb at-Taḥrīr |
HT | Ata Abu Rashta | Officially Islamism | Officially Islamic Mainly Sunni support |
Socialist Arab Lebanon Vanguard Party حزب طليعة لبنان العربي الاشتراكي Ḥizb at-Taliyeh Lubnan al-'Arabi al-Ishtiraki |
HT | Abd al-Majid Rafei | Ba'athism | Secular |
Movement of Lebanese Nationalism حركة القومية اللبنانية Ḥarakat al-Qawmiyya al-Lubnaniyya |
MLN | Etienne Saqr | Nationalism | Secular Traditionally Christian |
Aramean Democratic Organization ܛܘܟܣܐ ܐܪܡܝܐ ܕܝܡܘܩܪܛܝܐ Ṭukoso Oromoyo Dimoqraṭoyo التنظيم الآرامي الديمقراطي at-Tanzim al-Arami ad-Dimoqraty |
ArDO | Gabi Gallo | Nationalism Conservatism Right-wing politics |
Aramean Christians |
Lihaqqi لِ حقي Lihaqqi |
Collective Leadership | Left-libertarianism Grassroots democracy Economic democracy Radical democracy |
Secular | |
Lebanese Democratic Movement تيار لبنان الديمقراطي Tayyār Lubnan ad-Dimoqraty |
- | Jack Tamer | Social democracy | Secular |
Lebanese Option Gathering تيار الإنتماء اللبناني Tayyār al-Intimaa' al-Lubnani |
LOG | Ahmad al-Asaad | Liberalism | Secular Mainly Shiite Muslim |
Liberty Front جبهة الحرية Jabhat al-Horriya |
- | Fouad Abou Nader | Center-right | Secular Traditionally Christian |
Najjadeh Party حزب النجادة Ḥizb an-Nejjadeh |
Mustapha Hakim | Arab nationalism | Sunni Muslim | |
New Lebanese Movement حركة اللبنانيين الجدد Ḥarakat al-Lubnaniyin al-Jodod |
Danny Abdel Khalek | Secularism | Secular | |
Arab Socialist Party الحزب العربي الإشتراكي al-Ḥizb al-Arabi al-Ishtiraki |
- | - | Socialism | Secular |
Lebanese Ecology Party حزب البيئة اللبناني Ḥizb al-Bi'a al-Lubnany |
- | Habib Maalouf | ecology | Secular |
Popular Democratic Party الحزب الشعبي الديمقراطي al-Ḥizb ash-Shaabi ad-Dimoqraty |
- | Nazih Hamza | - | Secular |
Lebanese Arab Movement حركة لبنان العربي Ḥarakat Lubnan al-Arabi |
- | - | Nasserism | Sunni Muslim |
Organization of Communist Action منظمة العمل الشيوعي Munaẓẓamah al-‘Amal ash-Shuyū‘ī |
- | Ibrahim Muhsen | Communism Arab nationalism |
Secular |
Kurdish Democratic Party الحزب الديمقراطي الكردي في لبنان al-Ḥizb ad-Dimuqrati al-Kurdi fi Lubnan |
- | Riyad Mihhu | - | Kurdish |
Razkari Party حزب رزكاري Ḥizb Razkari |
- | Mahmoud Khodr Fattah Ahmad | - | Kurdish |
Defunct parties
Party | Abbr. | Leader or Chairman | Notes | Political position & ideology | Primary demographic |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lebanese Resistance Movement (Tanzim) حركة المقاومة اللبنانية - التنظيم Ḥarakat al-Moqawama al-Lubnaniya (Tanzim) |
- | - | The party disappeared after its militias disbanded | Christian Conservatism | Maronite Christian |
Constitutional Bloc الكتلة الدستورية al-Kutla ad-Dustuuriyya |
- | Khalil El-Khoury | Mainly created by Pr. Bechara El Khoury to oppose Emile Edde's National Bloc during the post-independence period | Feudalism[citation needed] | Secular |
The Great Lebanese Labor Party الحزب العمالي اللبناني الكبير al-Ḥizb al-'Ommali al-Lubnany al-Kabir |
- | - | This party existed during the French Mandate of Lebanon | Communism | Secular |
Deprived Movement حركة المحرومين Ḥarakat al-Mahrumin |
- | Musa al-Sadr | Ancestor of Amal | - | Secular |
Arab Nationalist Movement حركة القوميين العرب Ḥarakat al-Qawmiyyin al-'Arab |
- | - | Split, most merged into the Arab Socialist Action Party – Lebanon | Arab nationalism | - |
Syrian–Lebanese Communist Party الحزب الشيوعي السوري اللبناني al-Ḥizb ash-Shuyū'ī as-Sūrī al-Lubnānī |
- | Khalid Bakdash | - | far-left | Secular |
Arab Socialist Action Party – Lebanon حزب العمل الاشتراكي العربي - لبنان Ḥizb al-'Amal al-Ishtiraki al-'Arabi - Lubnan |
ASAP-L | Hussein Hamdan | - | Marxism Arab nationalism |
Secular |
Popular Bloc التكتّل الشعبي at-Takattol ash-Shaa'bi |
- | Elias Skaff | Christian democracy | Greek Catholic | |
National Youth Party حزب الشباب الوطني Ḥizb ash-Shabab al-Watani |
- | Ahmad Karami | - | - | Secular |
Party of Socialist Revolution حزب الثورة الإشتراكية Ḥizb at-Thawra al-Ishtirakiyya |
- | - | - | Maoist Communism | Secular |
See also
References
- ^ In 1943, The National Covenant (Al-Methak Al- Watani) conditioned the seats according to the sects. The President, was to be a Christian Maronite, The Premiership to a Muslim Sunni and the Speakership to a Muslim Shiaa.
- ^ https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Lebanon_2004.pdf?lang=en [bare URL]
- ^ Nash, Matt (2017-09-13). "The anti-establishment - Executive Magazine". Executive. Retrieved 2019-10-30.