Postponed to 2017: Lebanon parliamentary election - November 16, 2014

[politicus]

Lebanon will be holding a parliamentary election on November 16.

On Lebanese politics at the moment and why its so fycked up:
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/140221/why-lebanese-politics-so-messed-up

Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_general_election,_2014

[politicus]

Everything in Lebanese politics revolves around two things: Its relationship to its dominant and currently warntorn big brother Syria and (ethno)religiuos affiliation, which makes for some very strange bedfellows.

The current government of Lebanon is based on the March 14th Alliance, which is anti-Syrian. Its 15 members (9 Christian, 3 secular, 2 Sunni, 1 Shiite) are:

Main parties

Future Movement is economically Liberal and Sunni Muslim 26
Lebanese Forces is Right Wing/Christian Democratic + Nationalist and Maronite Christian 8
Kataeb Party is Christian Democratic + Nationalist and Maronite Christian 5

Small parties

Social Democrat Hunchakian Party is SD and Armenian 2
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party is economically Liberal and Armenian    1
National Liberal Party is National Liberal  and Maronite Christian 1
Democratic Left Movement is Democratic Socialist and secular    1
Islamic Group (Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya) is Islamist and Sunni Muslim    1

Unrepresented

Democratic Renewal is Liberal and Secular    0
Lebanese National Bloc is Conservative and Maronite Christian 0
Independence Movement is Conservative and   Maronite Christian 0
Free Shiite Movement is Liberal Islamist and Shiite Muslim (sic!) 0
Syriac Union of Lebanon  is Assyrian nationalist and Syriac/Assyrian Christian    0
Shuraya Party is Assyrian nationalist and Assyrian Christian    0
Lebanese Peace Party    is Pacifist and Secular    0

[politicus]

The opposition is united in the pro-Syrian March 8th Alliance with Shia Muslims playing a central role. Its 13 members (5 Christian, 2 secular, 1 Druze, 2 Sunni, 1 Alawiite, 2 Shia)


Main parties

Free Patriotic Movement: Centrist and Nationalist, Maronite Christan (with a few Shiite) 19

Amal Movement: Populist Conservative, Shiite Muslim (the Fianna Fail of Lebanese Shiism ) 13

Hezbollah: Islamist, Shiite Muslim (has the largest militia by far and controls South Lebanon) 12


Small parties

Lebanese Democratic Party: Conservative (tool of the princely Arslan clan), Druze  4

El Marada Movement: Christian Democratic, mainly Maronite Christian 3

Glory Movement Harakat Majd: Centrist, Secularist, pro-unification with Syria, Sunni Muslim 2

Armenian Revolutionary Federation: Socialist, Armenian 2

Syrian Social Nationalist Party: Far Right, pro-unification with Syria, Secular  2

Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party: Pan-Arabic Nationalism, "Socialist" (Assad fan club), Secular  2

Solidarity Party: Christian Democratic, Maronite Christian 1


Unrepresented

Skaff Bloc Kutlat Skaff: Mostly socialist 5 party alliance, Greek Orthodox/Armenian  0

Popular Nasserite Organization: Socialism, Pan-Arabic Nationalism, Sunni Muslim 0

Arab Democratic Party: Socialism, Pan-Arabic Nationalism, Alawiite Muslim  0

[Famous Mortimer]

Lebanese Forces are probably more "Fascist" than Kataeb.

The Lebanese Forces actually started out as the paramilitary wing of the Kataeb party then they broke away.

The Kataeb rump that was left behind is actually very moderate. Although I don't think either party is actually Fascist, except historically Fascist in the same way Fine Gael is.

[Famous Mortimer]

Also, some of the smaller Christian parties seem pretty ideologically nondescript, that's because they're basically personalist/family parties.

The National Liberal Party is the family of former president Camille Chamoun, who was president in the 50s.

The Independent Movement is the family of former president René Moawad, who was assassinated in office in 1989.

The Marada Movement is the family of former president Suleiman Frangieh, who was president in the 70s.

and of course Kataeb is the Gemayel family.

[politicus]

Lebanese Forces are probably more "Fascist" than Kataeb.

The Lebanese Forces actually started out as the paramilitary wing of the Kataeb party then they broke away.

The Kataeb rump that was left behind is actually very moderate. Although I don't think either party is actually Fascist, except historically Fascist in the same way Fine Gael is.

Fine Gaels flirt with fascism was short lived and superficial + it never penetrated the entire party, whereas Lebanese  Falangism definitely was closer to the real thing. Post-1975 they are hardly fascist and I should call them something more accurate and less inflammatory. They self identify as Christian Democrat and Patriotic/Nationalist AFAIK, so that might work .

[politicus]

Also, some of the smaller Christian parties seem pretty ideologically nondescript, that's because they're basically personalist/family parties.

The National Liberal Party is the family of former president Camille Chamoun, who was president in the 50s.

The Independent Movement is the family of former president René Moawad, who was assassinated in office in 1989.

The Marada Movement is the family of former president Suleiman Frangieh, who was president in the 70s.

and of course Kataeb is the Gemayel family.

Yeah, you can always debate whether you should use ideological description at all in a country where politics is as clan-based and clientilistic as Lebanon, but I think it gives some guiding line regarding the political landscape anyway - ideology is not totally absent from Lebanese politics.

Most posters here are savy enough to know its different from ideological description of parties in a Western country.

[politicus]

BUMP

Anyone got any info on when this may be held? Is it postponed indefinitely due to the security situation or is there a time frame of sorts?

[SNJ1985]

It's been postponed until 2017.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/lebanese-election-delay-sparks-dismay-anger-among-voters/2014/11/05/8bf1a5e0-8dc5-435e-bc89-ec8024861da4_story.html