DOCSLIB.ORG

A Confined Youth? Lived Space and Shifting Boundaries in Beirut

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Confined Youth? Lived Space and Shifting Boundaries in Beirut FOCUS 96 Stepping into the streets of Beirut exposes Henri Lefebvre’s ideas that “space is polit- A Confined Youth? ical and ideological” (Lefebvre 31). The Lived Space and Shifting urban fabric of the Lebanese capital still bears the marks of the violent conflicts Boundaries in Beirut that once ravaged the country (1975-1990) and displays countless evidences of its persistent social and political fractures. Flags, graffiti and posters fill the space with ideologies and symbolically prolong the physical divisions that characterized the city during the war (Haugbolle 161). Contemporary Beirut remains a polycen- tric city in which territories are subjected to powerful identity claims. Having inher- ited this space molded from past confron- tations, when the Green Line separated what was referred to as the West, mostly populated by Muslims, and the East, pre- dominantly Christian, young Beirutis born in postwar Lebanon have, in their daily Bruno Lefort1 activities, “to get along in a network of already established forces and represen- This article questions spatial experiences these boundaries not as ideological but tations” (De Certeau 18). In this article, I among students in Beirut. It mobilizes col- as the result of daily practices of segrega- intend to explore how the youth living in laborative map interviews to explore the tion born during the Lebanese wars Beirut manage this spatial-temporal heri- ways young people experiment with (1975-1990). This evolution reveals tage. More precisely, I aim at investigating space and the social boundaries it incor- renewed understandings of the Lebanese how the memory of the war as well as the porates. I argue that their perception of complex landscape and contributes to practices it inspires inform the ways young their lived space underlines a crucial shift: delineate youth as a social shifter. people experiment with space and the whereas their parents experimented the social boundaries it incorporates. How do city in terms of sectarian and political divi- Keywords: Youth; Politics of Space; today’s youth live and make sense of sions, my interlocutors have integrated Memory; Lebanon these inherited spatial divisions, and to Middle East – Topics & Arguments #09–2017 FOCUS 97 what extent are these experiences consti- and to critically engage with the notion of participants were asked to mark with a tutive of what could be identified as a youth and generation from the case of pen places or areas that bear special generation? contemporary Lebanon. meanings in their life on three successive While the questions of territoriality and maps at different scales: the first map rep- wartime memory have been the focus of Mapping Students’ Lived Space resenting their campus, the second the many academic works, which have espe- Before considering how the young people city of Beirut, and the third Lebanon. In cially insisted on the strength of socio- I met experiment with space, I deem it doing so, my intention was to play on spa- political territories (e.g. Deeb; Harb) and important to introduce my methods and tial scales to locate at once daily routines the difficulties of the country to deal with data collection techniques in more detail. as well as the imagination and memory its troubled past (Haugbolle; Makarem), The past decade has seen a developing embedded in these spatial frameworks. the position of the youth in regard to this attraction for collaborative research Using this technique, I collected thirteen double heritage has received insufficient (Rappaport 1), which “deliberately and interviews lasting between one and a half attention. The Lebanese youth have explicitly emphasizes collaboration […]” and two and a half hours, complemented remarkably remained for the most part (Lassiter 15). Following this growing inter- with ethnographic material gathered dur- ignored compared to other Arab coun- est, this article relies on collaborative inter- ing previous fieldwork among Lebanese tries, with the notable exception of studies views conducted among students of the students. Participants, recruited with the concerned with the prominent issue of American University of Beirut. (AUB) assistance of AUB professors, were aged migration (Kasparian). Yet, in a post-con- Fieldwork took place during the spring of between 21 and 27, with one exception of flict society such as Lebanon, the signifi- 2016 as part of a French-Lebanese an older, thirty-four-year-old student. They cance of youth is crucial to understanding research program on the role of universi- were in majority women (nine vs. four how the notion of generation matters in ties in the production of space in Beirut. men). These volunteers were studying at the reproduction of past boundaries and Within this project, I started from Henri the graduate and postgraduate levels, how the youth could locate themselves in Lefebvre’s notion of lived space (Lefebvre either in the department of Architecture territories marked by violent legacies. 33), which is born from the conception of and Urbanism or in the department of Positioning this article at the intersection space as both physically experienced (real Sociology. Four of them were beneficia- between the questions of memory, spati- space) and mentally constructed (imag- ries of full scholarships, covering the inte- ality and youth, I propose to shift the atten- ined space), invested with symbolism and grality of their tuition fees. The result is that tion to the experiences and imagination of meaning. After exchanges with my French despite the heavily elitist nature of the space among Beirut’s youth. Starting from and Lebanese colleagues, I designed col- AUB, not all the participants belong to an empirical case study grounded in laborative map-elicited interviews to upper-class families. These young people, young people’s imaginaries, it becomes investigate how students experiment with whose names and other identifying details possible to revisit the question of the spa- lived space, i.e. both the materiality of have been modified, agreed to share tial and temporal boundaries from below space and its imagination. Individually, aspects of their daily routine, memories Middle East – Topics & Arguments #09–2017 FOCUS 98 and experiences of space. The significa- tical, economic and social inequality Recounting Navigation Practices tion of the selection was then discussed (McFarlane and Anjaria 6). In our conversations, Beirut was depicted from the commentaries of the participants, as a demanding city, difficult to domesti- in collaboration with me. Adopting a I argue that ways young people reflect on cate. Chaotic, vertical or even overgrown micro-sociological approach, I used these their relation to space underline a shift in were the words put forward by most par- the experience of Beirut’s fragmented ticipants to describe the metropolis. In the interpersonal situations as a strategy reality: whereas their parents firstly con- maps they drew, three images predomi- through which broader social forces, ceived of the city in terms of its sectarian nate: first, the depiction of routes describ- properties, and processes can be un- and political divisions, my interlocutors ing their ability to move across the city; derstood as constituted in practice have integrated these boundaries not as second, the delimitation of specific areas, (Fine and Fields 131). ideological but as the result of daily prac- conveying the idea of territories, i.e. tices of avoidance of the Other born dur- spaces identified as familiar or, on the con- Accordingly, the stories presented in this ing the war and its immediate aftermaths. trary, alien; third, the descriptions of article were not highlighted because they In the next sections of this article, I lay out boundaries and fault-lines, which are not would be statistically representative. this central argument in the following only acknowledged but also frequently Rather, they were selected because of manner: First, I describe how their ways of confronted and transgressed. All three their capacity to illuminate dynamics I navigating the urban space underline a features materialize these young people’s observed during the fieldwork years and sense of territorial restriction, articulated sense of navigating Beirut’s urban terrain. in my dialogue with the participants. They around an insider/outsider trope. Then, I A master’s student in sociology, Maya, 34, uncover not only personal but also social describe how this confinement can be organizes her experiment with Beirut’s imaginaries and collective memories, traced back to daily practices of segrega- space according to three major areas, which, according to Maurice Halbwachs, tion born during as well as immediately each of which relates to a specific life always “unfold within a spatial framework” after the 1975-1990 wars. I make a case sphere: first, her family house and its (6). More specifically, I analyzed my mate- that, contrary to the war generations, these neighborhood of Badaro2, a residential rial using the concept of navigation as a limitations are practical in nature rather area marking the frontier between the theoretical underpinning. The notion of than ideological, which opens the way municipality of Beirut and its southern navigating lies “at the intersection of urban toward renewed narratives on coexistence suburb as well as between Christian dis- and youth studies” (Hecking 57) and high- and innovative strategies of bypassing tricts of Furn al-Chebbak or Ayn al-Rum- lights the ways confinement. Finally, I
Load more

Recommended publications
  • SECTARIAN MOVEMENT in LEBANON TRANSFORMING from STREET PROTESTS TOWARDS a FULL- FLEDGED POLITICAL MOVEMENT Wetenschappelijke Verhandeling Aantal Woorden: 25.981
    THE EMERGENCE OF THE NON- SECTARIAN MOVEMENT IN LEBANON TRANSFORMING FROM STREET PROTESTS TOWARDS A FULL- FLEDGED POLITICAL MOVEMENT Wetenschappelijke verhandeling Aantal woorden: 25.981 Jesse Waterschoot Stamnummer: 01306668 Promotor: Prof. dr. Christopher Parker Masterproef voorgelegd voor het behalen van de graad master in de richting Politieke Wetenschappen afstudeerrichting Internationale Politiek Academiejaar: 2017-2018 Acknowledgements I would like to thank all the individuals with whom I have discussed this topic. Through its specificity, online information was sometimes hard to find, so I would like to thank every individual in Lebanon that shared information with me. I extend my sincere gratitude to my colleagues at Heinrich Böll Stichtung Beirut, who supported me in my project on the Lebanese elections and shared their insights with me. Without their assistance and contacts in Beirut’s political scene, finishing this dissertation would have been much harder. Whenever I had any question about a Lebanese party, organisation or politician they were happy to provide information. A special acknowledgment must be given to my promotor, Christopher Parker. Through your guidance and advice on this specific topic and support for my internship plans, I was able to complete this dissertation. 3 Abstract Deze Master thesis behandelt de opkomst van de Libanese niet-sektarische beweging. Libanon kent een confessioneel systeem, waarbij de staat en samenleving georganiseerd is op basis van religie. Deze bestuursvorm resulteerde in een politiek-religieuze elite die overheidsdiensten monopoliseerde en herstructureerde om diensten te voorzien aan hun religieuze achterban, in ruil voor hun loyaliteit. Na de burgeroorlog werd dit confessioneel systeem aangepast, maar niet fundamenteel gewijzigd.
    [Show full text]
  • Envisioning and Contesting a New Lebanon? Actors, Issues and Dynamics Following the October Protests About International Alert
    Envisioning and contesting a new Lebanon? Actors, issues and dynamics following the October protests About International Alert International Alert works with people directly affected by conflict to build lasting peace. We focus on solving the root causes of conflict, bringing together people from across divides. From the grassroots to policy level, we come together to build everyday peace. Peace is just as much about communities living together, side by side, and resolving their differences without resorting to violence, as it is about people signing a treaty or laying down their arms. That is why we believe that we all have a role to play in building a more peaceful future. www.international-alert.org © International Alert 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without full attribution. Layout: Marc Rechdane Front cover image: © Ali Hamouch Envisioning and contesting a new Lebanon? Actors, issues and dynamics following the October protests Muzna Al-Masri, Zeina Abla and Rana Hassan August 2020 2 | International Alert Envisioning and contesting a new Lebanon? Acknowledgements International Alert would like to thank the research team: Muzna Al-Masri, Zeina Abla and Rana Hassan, as well as Aseel Naamani, Ruth Simpson and Ilina Slavova from International Alert for their review and input. We are also grateful for the continuing support from our key funding partners: the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
    [Show full text]
  • Beirut Madinati”
    “Toeing the Sectarian Line”: Negotiations between the Spatial, Economic, and Ideological Consumption and Production of Counter-hegemonic Resistance for “Beirut Madinati” By Rasha Younes Submitted to: Central European University Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology and Social Anthropology Supervisors: Dr. Prem Rajaram Dr. Dorit Geva Budapest, Hungary 2018 CEU eTD Collection Abstract This thesis begins by situating political sectarianism, in its complex systems of operation, as the historical hegemony around which Lebanese civil society congregates to make meaning of its own discord and create possibilities for alternative ideology. I depart from a Gramscian analysis of sectarianism as a historically and politically situated power-sharing mechanism wielded by Lebanese political elites to determine and perpetuate the economic, social, and ideological positions of their members. Within a dialectical framework of resisting sectarianism through political participation, I investigate the possibilities of emergence and conditions of resistance for counter-hegemonic movements in Lebanon. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Beirut, I mobilize the case study of the self-proclaimed counter-sectarian civil society movement “Beirut Madinati.” In particular, by interrogating the inner-workings of “Beirut Madinati,” I argue that this oppositional movement’s ability to resist is hinged on its access to and consumption of a neoliberal sectarian space, political economy, and formal discourse, which led to its counter-hegemonic paralysis. Vis-à-vis the case of counter-sectarianism in Beirut, I conclude by emphasizing that instead of focusing solely on the conceptual ideological terrain of resistance, it is imperative to re-imagine scholarly and activism connotations of resistance to include its pragmatic materialization in its situated spatial context.
    [Show full text]
  • The Situation in Lebanon and Challenges for Regional Stability and European Security
    http://assembly.coe.int Doc. 14226 05 January 2017 The situation in Lebanon and challenges for regional stability and European security Report1 Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Rapporteur: Mr Tobias ZECH, Germany, Group of the European People's Party Summary The election of Michel Aoun as President of Lebanon on 31 October 2016 puts an end to a constitutional crisis which posed a serious threat to the fragile balances on which the Lebanese society is based. It does not however guarantee that the country’s other problems will be resolved. The situation of refugees has worsened and today Lebanon hosts an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, in addition to the many other refugees who were already there, making Lebanon the country with the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. This is becoming unsustainable. The international community should thank Lebanon for its hospitality and should step up, as a matter of urgency, the contribution to support and assist the refugees in the country. The Parliamentary Assembly should develop relations with the Lebanese Parliament, first by inviting Lebanese parliamentarians to follow its the work and then by encouraging the Lebanese Parliament to consider applying for partnership for democracy status with the Assembly. 1. Reference to committee: Doc. 13776, Reference 4132 of 22 June 2015. F - 67075 Strasbourg Cedex | [email protected] | Tel: +33 3 88 41 2000 | Fax: +33 3 88 41 2733 Doc. 14226 Report Contents Page A. Draft resolution......................................................................................................................................... 3 B. Explanatory memorandum by Mr Tobias Zech, rapporteur.......................................................................4 1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 4 2. Background..........................................................................................................................................4 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Youth Engagement in Beirut
    January 2018 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN BEIRUT YOUTH ENGAGEMENTMAXIMUM TWO SMALL LINES IN BEIRUT dreams to action YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN BEIRUT dreams to action January 2018 Authors Publication Coordinator Jessica Chemali Farah Makki Giulia Maci Farah Makki Designer Carla Felicetti Copy-Editor Nagham Khayrallah Photos credits Constanze Flamme Natheer Halawani Farah Makki Sawsan Saad © All right reserved The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of NAHNOO, URBEGO, Architect For Change & LOYAC Lebanon and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. Implemented by In Partnership with Funded by SouthMed CV's partners This project is co-funded by European Union within the framework of the regional programme Med Culture This publication shares the findings of a one-year assessment on youth engagement in the urban governance of Beirut. The "Youth Engagement Index in Beirut" project was developed in 2017 and co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the regional program Med Culture. Introduction 6 photo Constanze Flamme Electrified 7 Youth Engagement In Beirut “ I dream of a city that nurtures our ambitions instead of slaying them in the womb. A city where racism has no place and indifference is an impossible word […] I dream of a city with green spaces, sustainable energy, and decent souls [...] A city whose citizens stop at red lights, sort their waste and hold their leaders accountable. I dream of a city where creativity is more valued than mischievousness, critical minds more than blind allegiances, real merits more than influential connections, and human ethics more than bank accounts.
    [Show full text]
  • The 2018 Campaign of the Civil Society Breaking Through the Sectarian System?
    The 2018 campaign of the civil society Breaking through the sectarian system? #YouStink Protest-August 29, 2015 - Photo by Joelle Hatem Jesse Waterschoot June 2018 The 2018 campaign of the civil society: Jesse Waterschoot Breaking through the sectarian system? June 2018 Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Events before the elections ..................................................................................................................... 3 Garbage protest and Beirut Madinati ................................................................................................. 3 Electoral law ........................................................................................................................................ 4 List formation in Beirut........................................................................................................................ 5 Kollouna Watani .............................................................................................................................. 5 Beirut II ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Libaladi ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Campaign ................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Lebanon on the Edge
    POLICY BRIEF 26 April 2018 Lebanon on the edge Francesca Fabbri BACKGROUND – PRECARIOUS STABILITY Lebanon has frequently been praised for its resilience in the face of regional turmoil.1 The country has so far managed to stave off collapse despite the wave of Arab uprisings, institutional and political gridlock, the presence of Syrian refugees who account for almost a quarter of Lebanon's population, the involvement of Lebanese parties in the Syrian conflict, and external pressure from regional and international powers. However, Lebanon's stability is precarious. On the eve of the long-delayed parliamentary elections, slated for 6 May, and as the European Union (EU) seeks to foster resilience in its neighbourhood, a closer look at the political dynamics in Lebanon is warranted. One should not expect that these elections will lead to a fundamental renewal of the country's dysfunctional political system, but turning a blind eye will only further entrench the underlying fragility of Lebanon's political system. The EU maintains a longstanding and close cooperation with Lebanon within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). As set out by the ENP review of 2015, these efforts have most recently been focused on stabilising the country and the EU's Southern Neighbourhood in general. To this end, three EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities have been put into action for the period 2017-2020: fostering growth and job opportunities; governance and rule of law; and regional stability, security and countering terrorism. In addition, Lebanon receives funding in the form of aid to mitigate the impact of the Syrian crisis.
    [Show full text]
  • Lebanese Municipality Elections 2016: Local Decisions with National and Regional Ramifications
    Christine Strassmaier & Peter Nassif * FOKUS | 4/2016 Lebanese Municipality Elections 2016: Local decisions with national and regional ramifications Municipal elections in Europe as in the divided between the March 14 and March May 29 and covering all Lebanese pro- Middle East usually hardly raise the atten- 8 coalition, both commemorating dates vinces. Lebanon’s municipal elections are tion of international pundits. In the case of of public rallies during the so-called Cedar therefore the last remaining institutional Lebanon, this is different, where the last le- Revolution in 2005. The March 14 coali- mechanism for generating a modicum of gislature elections have been held in 2009 tion known for its anti-Syrian stance and political accountability and their successful and the seat of the country’s president receiving support from Saudi Arabia is led completion increase pressure to hold ge- has been vacant from May 2014 on. Since by Saad Hariri, Rafik Hariri’s second son. neral elections in 2017. Similar to national then, parliament has extended its term Main players of the coalition are the Sunni politics, the presentation of programmatic twice, citing security concerns that would Future Movement as well as the Maronite platforms and concrete agendas for local render safe elections impossible. Therefo- Christian Phalange and Lebanese Forces. development are rare in municipal elec- re, the municipal elections that took place The pro-Iranian March 8 camp is domi- tions. Since traditional political families in four subsequent rounds during May nated by the Shiite Hezbollah and Amal usually ally themselves with national sec- have taken additional importance as the Movement, but also the Maronite Free tarian parties and candidates, the elections first public inquiry over the population’s Patriotic Movement (FPM).
    [Show full text]
  • Processes of Making and Informing Maronite Identity in Beirut Divin Boutros University of South Carolina - Columbia
    University of South Carolina Scholar Commons Theses and Dissertations 2018 Urban Social Landscapes And Urban Places: Processes Of Making And Informing Maronite Identity In Beirut Divin Boutros University of South Carolina - Columbia Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd Part of the Geography Commons Recommended Citation Boutros, D.(2018). Urban Social Landscapes And Urban Places: Processes Of Making And Informing Maronite Identity In Beirut. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/5011 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. URBAN SOCIAL LANDSCAPES AND URBAN PLACES: PROCESSES OF MAKING AND INFORMING MARONITE IDENTITY IN BEIRUT by Divin Boutros Bachelor of Arts University of South Carolina, 2015 Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts in Geography College of Arts and Sciences University of South Carolina 2018 Accepted by: Amy Mills, Director of Thesis Caroline R. Nagel, Reader Hamid Khan, Reader Cheryl L. Addy, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School © Copyright by Divin Boutros 2018 All Rights Reserved. ii DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my parents who left everything behind in Lebanon to give me and my sister a better life here in the United States of America. I will never express enough gratitude for everything they have done for me and my sister. I can’t even begin to imagine selling my house and business and going across the planet to a place where I don’t even speak the language.
    [Show full text]
  • Beirut's 2016 Municipal Elections: Did Beirut Madinati Permanently
    CASE ANALYSIS Beirut’s 2016 Municipal Elections: Did Beirut Madinati Permanently Change Lebanon’s Electoral Scene? Jad Chaaban, Diala Haidar, Rayan Ismail, Rana Khoury and Mirna Shidrawi |September 2016 Beirut’s 2016 Municipal Elections: Did Beirut Madinati Permanently Change Lebanon’s Electoral Scene?* Series: Case Analysis Jad Chaaban, Diala Haidar, Rayan Ismail, Rana Khoury, and Mirna Shidrawi|Sep 2016 Copyright © 2016 Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. All Rights Reserved. ____________________________ The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies is an independent research institute and think tank for the study of history and social sciences, with particular emphasis on the applied social sciences. The Center’s paramount concern is the advancement of Arab societies and states, their cooperation with one another and issues concerning the Arab nation in general. To that end, it seeks to examine and diagnose the situation in the Arab world - states and communities- to analyze social, economic and cultural policies and to provide political analysis, from an Arab perspective. The Center publishes in both Arabic and English in order to make its work accessible to both Arab and non-Arab researchers. Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies PO Box 10277 Street No. 826, Zone 66 Doha, Qatar Tel.: +974 44199777 | Fax: +974 44831651 www.dohainstitute.org * The authors are all founding members and/or activists within the Beirut Madinati Municipal Elections Campaign. Views expressed here reflect the personal opinions of the authors,
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise of Beirut Madinati
    From Garbage to Green Space: The Rise of Beirut Madinati Timothy Louthan AS UNCOLLECTED GARBAGE of Beirut launched a political movement FESTERED on the streets of Beirut in known as “Beirut Madinati” (Beirut Is My summer 2015, the Lebanese government City). From its inception, the group could seemed unwilling and unable to handle the have been easily mistaken for one of the situation. Building a new landfill would many NGOs that dot Beirut’s landscape. have offered a quick remedy, but logical Beirut Madinati’s motley mix of technocrats executive decisions are never a simple task and activists devoid of any formal political for those with political power in Lebanon. experience clearly distinguished it from The state’s confessional political system has traditional Lebanese political parties. The institutionalized sectarianism while regional organization’s initiative to foster town hegemons aggravate the delicate balance by hall-style discussions in public spaces, its propping up opposing political factions. Thus, use of social media, and its dependence on political paralysis and corruption have become volunteers certainly resembled the tactics trademarks in Lebanon. The government’s employed by civil society organizations staggering impotence in response to the and protest movements.1 Yet despite its garbage crisis should not have come as a grassroots tactics, Beirut Madinati was not a surprise. Yet the popular response and ensuing new iteration of You Stink. local political developments have disrupted Unlike other groups that sprung up in the Lebanon’s politics posing a direct challenge to summer of 2015, Beirut Madiniati established the status quo. clear political objectives as it prepared to Emerging from the garbage fumes, the aptly campaign for the spring 2016 municipal named “You Stink” movement successfully elections.
    [Show full text]
  • Lebanese Municipality Elections 2016: Local Decisions with National and Regional Ramifications
    Christine Strassmaier & Peter Nassif * FOKUS | 4/2016 Lebanese Municipality Elections 2016: Local decisions with national and regional ramifications Municipal elections in Europe as in the divided between the March 14 and March May 29 and covering all Lebanese pro- Middle East usually hardly raise the atten- 8 coalition, both commemorating dates vinces. Lebanon’s municipal elections are tion of international pundits. In the case of of public rallies during the so-called Cedar therefore the last remaining institutional Lebanon, this is different, where the last le- Revolution in 2005. The March 14 coali- mechanism for generating a modicum of gislature elections have been held in 2009 tion known for its anti-Syrian stance and political accountability and their successful and the seat of the country’s president receiving support from Saudi Arabia is led completion increase pressure to hold ge- has been vacant from May 2014 on. Since by Saad Hariri, Rafik Hariri’s second son. neral elections in 2017. Similar to national then, parliament has extended its term Main players of the coalition are the Sunni politics, the presentation of programmatic twice, citing security concerns that would Future Movement as well as the Maronite platforms and concrete agendas for local render safe elections impossible. Therefo- Christian Phalange and Lebanese Forces. development are rare in municipal elec- re, the municipal elections that took place The pro-Iranian March 8 camp is domi- tions. Since traditional political families in four subsequent rounds during May nated by the Shiite Hezbollah and Amal usually ally themselves with national sec- have taken additional importance as the Movement, but also the Maronite Free tarian parties and candidates, the elections first public inquiry over the population’s Patriotic Movement (FPM).
    [Show full text]