A Basic Guide:

Lebanon’s Main Political Groups

By Deen Shariff Sharp
Researcher and Freelance Journalist
Contact: deensharp@gmail.com

January, 2009

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The Lebanese Government Post-Doha Agreement1

President:
Michel Sleiman
Assumed office: May, 2008

Prime Minister: Fouad Siniora

Affiliated (with Future Movement)
Assumed office: July, 2005

Speaker of the House: Nabhi Berri

(Party Head of Amal)
Assumed office: November, 1992

Due to the National Pact, an unwritten agreement created in 1943, the President must be
Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of the House Shia’
Muslim.

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This agreement was made after the clashes in May 2008 and ended an 18 month long political crisis. The
agreement resulted in the election of General Sleiman to the Presidency; the formation of a national unity
government that consisted of 16 ministers from the majority, 11 ministers from the opposition and three
ministers selected by the President. Importantly this agreement gave the opposition members a veto in the
national unity government.

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 Ministries

Interior Deputy Prime Minister

Ziad Baroud (President Quota) Issam Abu Jamra (FPM)

Defense Foreign Affairs

Elias Murr (President Quota) Fawzi Salloukh (Amal*)

Finance Telecommunications
Mohammed Chattah (FM) Gebran Bassil (FPM)

Education Health
Bahia Hariri (FM) Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh (Amal)

Agriculture Labor
Elias Skaff (C&R) Mohammad Fneich (Hezbollah)

Power, Energy and Water Public Works

Alain Tabourian (C&R) Ghazi Aridi (PSP)

Youth and Sport Culture

Talal Arslan (LDP) Tammam Salam

Displaced Persons Information

Raymond Audi Tarek Mitri

Economy & Trade Industry

Mohammad Safadi (FM) Ghazi Zeaiter (Amal)

Justice Social Affairs

Ibrahim Najjar (LF) Mario Aoun (FPM)

Tourism Development Affairs

Elias Marouni (Kataeb) Ibrahim Shamssedine

Environment
Antoine Karam (LF)

Ministers without portfolio: Wael Abu Faour (PSP), Nassib Lahoud (DRP), Jean
Ogaspian (FM), Khalid Qabbani (FM), Ali Qanso (SSNP), Youssef Taqla (President
Quota)
* = Independent but affiliated with party listed

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March 8 (Opposition/Parliamentary Minority)

After the assassination of Rafik Hariri on the 14th February, 2005, frequent political
protests called for an end to the Syrian presence in Lebanon, established at the end of the
civil war. These protests occurred primarily because sections of the Lebanese population
deemed the Syrian government directly responsible for the assassination of Hariri. In
response to these protests Hezbollah organized a mass political rally on March 8th that
thanked Syria for its support to the resistance (Hezbollah) and also called for the rejection
of UN resolution 1559. This resolution calls for Hezbollah and all armed groups in
Lebanon to disarm. Those in the March 8 movement generally have strong links with
Syria and/or Iran.

The main members of the March 8 Alliance are:

Amal Movement

Hezbollah

Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party (SSNP)

Marada Movement

Lebanese Democratic Party (LDP)

The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM)

General Michel Aoun, the leader of the FPM, did not return back from exile until May
2005 but was supportive of the March 14 rally. Disagreements between Michel Aoun and
parties that formed the March 14 Alliance regarding the allocation of potential seats
among the FPM, PSP and Lebanese Forces in the Ba’abda-‘Aley constituency resulted in
the FPM shifting their political alliances. Subsequently, Aoun aligned with parties from
the March 8 alliance, while also maintaining autonomy from it.

The Armenian Tashnak party is also a strong ally of the FPM.

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March 14 (Governmental Majority)
(http://www.14march.org/)

The March 14 alliance is a coalition of parties that formed after the assassination of
former President Rafik Hariri on 14th February, 2005. On March 14th, 2005, a huge
protest was led by the Future Movement, and son of Rafik Hariri, Saad Hariri; the protest
called for an international inquiry into Hariri’s murder, a complete withdrawal by Syria in
line with UN resolution 1559 and the firing of Syrian-backed security chiefs in the
Lebanese government. The March 14 alliance also calls for the full implementation of
UN resolution1701, issued after the July 2006 war that calls for the “…disarmament of
all armed groups in Lebanon”. Those in the March 14 alliance generally have strong links
with the US and Europe; the Future Movement has particularly strong links with Saudi
Arabia.

The members of the March 14 alliance are:

Future Movement

Progressive Socialist Party (PSP)

Lebanese Forces (LF)

Kataeb Party

Democratic Renewal Party

Democratic Left Movement

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Future Movement
Tayyar al-Mustaqbal
(http://www.almustaqbal.org/)

Party Leader: Saad Hariri

Seats in Parliament: 35

Majority Sunni (officially non-sectarian)

Dominant Location: West Beirut, West Beqaa, Saida and North Lebanon

Political grouping: March 14 Alliance

History

The Future Movement was a central instigator in the organization of the March 14th,
2005, demonstration after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and in
calling for an international tribunal to be set up to investigate the assassination of Rafik
Hariri. The Future Movement after the assassination of Rafik Hariri and the Syrian
withdrawal became involved in bitter mutual recriminations with the Syrian regime that
continue to the present day. Further to this the Future Movement is very much implicated
in the tense bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria, as the Future Movement
is aligned with Saudi Arabia. While the Movement is not officially a political party its
affiliates makes up the bulk of the government and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is an
associate of the Future Movement. The Future Movement calls for the full
implementation of UN resolutions 1559 and 1701.

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Progressive Socialist Party (PSP)
al Hizb al-Taqadummi al-Ishtiraki
(http://www.psp.org.lb/)

Party Leader: Walid Jumblatt

Seats in Parliament: 15

Majority Druze (officially non-sectarian)

Dominant Location: Shouf, Aley, Rechaya and Hasbaya

Political grouping: March 14 Alliance

History

The Jumblatt family name has been prominent in Lebanese-Druze politics since the mid-
18th Century in Mount Lebanon. The PSP was founded by Kamal Jumblatt (Walid
Jumblatt’s father) in 1949 and was the first attempt to create a party on a national scale.
Kamal Jumblatt was assassinated during the civil war in 1977 and Walid Jumblatt
accuses Syria of carrying out the assassination. The PSP created a strong partnership with
the electoral alliance of Hariri in the 2005 elections and has been at the forefront of the
March 14 alliance, calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah and implementation of UN
resolutions 1559 and 1701. The PSP has been a ferocious opponent of the Syrian
presence in Lebanon.

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Lebanese Forces (LF)
al-Quwwat al-Lubnaniya
(www.lebanese-forces.org)

Party Leader: Samir Geagea

Seats in Parliament: 5

Christian (officially non-sectarian)

Dominant Location: East Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Zahle and North Lebanon

Political grouping: March 14 Alliance

History

The LF was founded as a militia, by assassinated former President Bashir Gemayel,

during the start of the civil war. Although associated with the Kataeb party during the
civil war the Lebanese Forces became an independent unit after the assassination of
Bashir Gemayel. Samir Geagea assumed control of the LF in 1986 but was imprisoned
for life in 1994 for war crimes; an amnesty law passed in July 2005 meant Geagea was
released from prison and resumed the leadership of the LF. The continued conflict
between Geagea and Slieman Franjieh Jr. that occurred during the civil war (see the
Marada Movement) is seen by many in the Christian community a central split within the
community in Lebanon. Franjieh Jr. accuses Geagea of murdering his family during a LF
raid on the Franjieh family home during the civil war. The split within the Christian
community has been accentuated by the animosity between Geagea and General Michel
Aoun. In the beginning of the 1990s during the ‘War of Liberation’ Samir Geagea’s and
Michel Aoun’s respective military units clashed in fierce battles in East Beirut. Since the
return of Geagea to Lebanese politics the LF has re-emerged as a political force in
Lebanon, with policies that are staunchly against any involvement of Syria in Lebanon
and for the disarmament of Hezbollah.

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Kataeb Party
Hizb al-Kataeb
(www.kataeb.org)

Party Leader: Amine Gemayel

Seats in Parliament: 1

Christian (officially non-sectarian)

Dominant Location: East Beirut, Zahle and Mount Lebanon

Political grouping: March 14 Alliance

History

The Kataeb was founded by Pierre Gemayel as a nationalist youth movement in 1936.
Bashir Gemayel, son of Pierre, following the Israeli invasion was elected President by the
National Assembly in 1982; nine days before Bashir Gemayel was due to take office he
was assassinated. Bashir Gemayel remains an important figure for Lebanese Christians of
all political persuasions and is venerated as the person who unified the Christian
community. After the assassination of Bashir Gemayel his brother Amine took over the
Presidency, however he was forced into exile after his term ended in 1988. In 2000
Amine Gemayel returned from exile in Paris and became the supreme President of the
Kataeb party in 2005. The Kataeb have been vocally pressing for the disarmament of
Hezbollah and the end to any Syrian involvement in Lebanese politics. Amine Gemayel’s
son Pierre, who was an MP and Minister of Industry, was assassinated in 2006. This was
the fifth assassination of a Lebanese ‘anti-Syrian’ public figure and the third member of
the Gemayel family to be assassinated. Nadim Gemayel, the son of Bashir Gemayel, and
Sami Gemayel, the son Amine Gemayel, are both active in politics and are running in the
2009 elections the former in Beirut and the latter in the Metn.

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Amal Movement
Harakat Amal
(www.amal-movement.com/)

Party Leader: Nabih Berri (Speaker in the Lebanese Parliament)

Seats in Parliament: 15

Shia’ (officially non-sectarian)

Dominant Location: South Beirut, Northern Beqaa and South Lebanon

Political grouping: March 8

History

Amal was established in 1975 by Imam Musa al-Sadr aimed at improving the social and
living conditions of the Lebanese Shia. Al-Sadr disappeared in 1978 while on a visit to
Libya and is assumed to have been killed but is still a highly revered figure in the party.
Musa al-Sadr turned Amal into the leading political party for the Lebanese Shia and
remained so until the emergence of Hezbollah in the beginning of the 80s. Amal and
Hezbollah have historically had a tense relationship that led to a ferocious battle in 1988
and 1989 however since then their relationship has been on of mutual support. Amal has
been a strong ally of the Syrian presence in Lebanon and is an important part of the
March 8 alliance.

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Party of God
Hezbollah

Party Leader: Hassan Nasrallah

Seats in Parliament: 14

Shia (officially non-sectarian)

Dominant Location: South Beirut, Northern Beqaa, Jbeil (Byblos) and South Lebanon

Political grouping: March 8

History

Hezbollah emerged in the 1980s as an Islamic resistance group determined to remove the
Israelis, who had occupied the south of Lebanon since 1978, by force. After the Israeli’s
left Lebanon in 2000 Hezbollah stated that the resistance must continue to defend
Lebanon against Israeli aggression and to remove the Israeli occupation of the Shebba
farms. Hezbollah is accused by opponents of starting the war with Israel in July, 2006,
after Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers across the blue line. This accusation lays
central to the claim by the March 14 alliance that Hezbollah must disarm and that only
the Lebanese state has the right to declare war and peace. Hezbollah was central in
organizing the March 8 demonstration that thanked Syria for assisting the resistance and
responded against calls of the ‘Cedar Revolution’ to end the Syrian presence in Lebanon.
In May 2008 Hezbollah, with members from the March 8 alliance, took over West Beirut
militarily in response to the ruling March 14 coalition’s cabinet directive to remove
Hezbollah’s parallel telecommunication network and remove an airport security chief
allied to Hezbollah. These events led to the Doha agreement that gave Hezbollah and the
March 8 alliance veto power within the Lebanese cabinet.

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Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP)
al-Hizb al-Souri al-Qawmi al-Ijtima’i
(http://www.ssnp.net/)

Party Leader: Asaad Hardan

Seats in Parliament: 2

Non-sectarian

Dominant Location: Metn, north Lebanon and west Beirut

Political grouping: March 8

History

The SSNP was founded in Beirut in 1932 by Antoun Saadeh; the SSNP strongly
condemned tribal, ethnic and religious forms of discrimination believing a ‘Syrian’
national identity should be expressed in a non-confessional state. The SSNP strives for
the unification of a Greater Syria state that incorporates Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Cyprus
and Palestine, and believes that “Syria's interest supersedes every other interest.” In 1949
Saadeh was executed by the government after the SSNP attempted a coup and in 1962
another unsuccessful coup was endeavored against President Chehab. In May 2008 the
SSNP took a central role in the violent clashes in West Beirut and has continued to
maintain a significant presence in this area. Frequent clashes have occurred between the
SSNP and affiliates of the Future Movement.

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Marada Movement
(http://el-marada.net/ar/)

Party Leader: Sleiman Franjieh Jr.

Seats in Parliament: 0

Maronite Christian

Dominant Location: Zgharta and North Lebanon

Political grouping: March 8 Alliance

History

Sleiman Franjieh who was President at the outbreak of the civil war in 1975 created the
Marada Movement as a militia. During the civil war Tony Franjieh, the son of Sleiman
and head of the Marada movement was assassinated by Bachir Gemayle’s Lebanese
Forces along with his wife and daughter, Tony Franjieh’s son Sleiman Franjieh Jr. was
away in Beirut at the time. Sleiman Franjieh Jr. accuses Samir Geagea of the heading the
assassination of his family carried out by the Lebanese Forces. This event is seen as the
starting point of the deep split between Lebanese Christians and this entrenched mutual
hatred between Franjieh and Geagea is still a major political issue for Lebanese
Christians. Franjieh Jr. is a close friend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a strong
advocate of Syria. Franjieh formed an important alliance with Michel Aoun in the 2005
election.

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Free Patriotic Movement (FPM)
Al-Tayyar al-Watani al-Hurr
(http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/FPMParty/)

Party Leader: Michel Aoun

Seats in Parliament: 15

Majority Christian (Officially Secular)

Dominant Location: Mount Lebanon and East Beirut

Political grouping: March 8 Alliance

History

The FPM is led by former commander of the Lebanese army and former Prime Minster
General Michel Aoun. After being exiled from Lebanon for 15 years after the ‘War of
Liberation’ against Syria in 1989, Aoun returned to Lebanon in 2005. Despite Aoun’s
fifteen years in exile in France he kept an active following in Lebanon during this period.
Thus, in the same month of Aoun’s return to Lebanon he contested the legislative
elections and his party the FPM was officially declared a political party in September
2005. During the elections of May 2005 the FPM and the members of the March 14
alliance were unable to agree a power sharing agreement, and thus the FPM remained
outside the government and aligned with March 8 parties. In February 2006, Aoun signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with Hezbollah confirming the FPM’s position beside
the March 8th camp.

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Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Tashnak Party

Party Leader: Hovig Mekhitarian

Seats in Parliament: 2

Armenian Christian

Dominant Location: Burj Hammoud and East Beirut

History

Founded in 1890 in Russian Armenia, the Tashnak Party sought to coordinate all
Armenian revolutionary groups seeking to improve their conditions under Ottoman rule.
Tashnak seeks a free, independent and united Armenia and attempts to gain recognition
from Turkey of the Armenian genocide. In 2005 Tashnak boycotted the elections in
Beirut because it felt that it could not ally with Hariri; Tashnak did run in the elections in
the Metn district and in Zahle with the FPM. Tashnak have often played an important role
in the elections in the Metn district.

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