Who is who in The Lebanese 2009 parliamentarian elections?

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ArDO candidate in the Lebanese parliament elections 2009

In Lebanon there are many minorities sharing power. Different parties and traditional leaders have taken this opportunity to represent the different minorities. This is the picture in general plus a few small parties that have been able to include members from all minorities.

The country has been divided between 2 main coalitions since the 2005 Cedar Revolution. Those are the 8 of March that were against the Arab Syrian withdrawal and the 14 of March that were for this withdrawal. The first one is close to Syria and Iran. The other one is close to the Arab league, international community and the UN.

The biggest groups sharing the power are: The Druze, Shiites, Sunnis, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic and the Maronites. Other groups with limited power are: The Armenians, the Alawites and the protestant.

1. The Druze community is represented by the Socialist progressive party of the Jumblat family. They have most of the 6 Druze seats in the parliament. They belong to the 14 of March coalition.

2. The Shiites are represented by the Hezballa party and Amal movement.

They have most of the 27 seats in parliament. They belong to the 8 of March coalition.

3. The Sunnis are represented by the Hariri leader and his Future movement.

They are 14 of March. Other than them there are traditional leaders and families like the Hoss, Mikati, Tamam, Safadi, Ahdab and Karame families. A growing Sunni group is also the extremist Islamic parties like Jamaa Islamiya and Muslim Brotherhood. Most Sunnis in Parliament are with the 14 of March coalition.

4. The Greek Orthodox has no direct parties only for them. They are represented by big families and mixed parties. Parties with large numbers of Orthodox members are the: Baath party, Syrian socialist nationalist party, Communist party and the Free Patriotic Movement in the 8 of March coalition and the Lebanese Forces, and Kataeb in the 14 of March. In Parliament they are also mixed between the 2 coalitions.

5. Like the Greek Orthodox, this Greek Catholic community has no parties representing only them. They have traditional families and secular parties like the ones regarding the Greek Orthodox. In parliament they are also divided between the 8 and 14 of March.

6. The Maronites has the biggest number in Parliament. With 34 seats they make the greatest difference in the countries politics. The Maronites were the group behind the creation of Great Lebanon in 1920. This group has large Christian parties and traditional leaders. Parties and names with 8 of March are Free Patriotic Movement of Michel Aoun, Marada party of Sleimen Franjiyeh and Elias skaff, the Zahle region leader. Groups with the 14 of March coalition are: The Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb, the National Liberals, the National block, Boutros Harb of Batroun region and others.

The result of 2005 gave the 14 of March coalition a two third majority in parliament. Today the outcome is uncertain and the results can be in favour to either side.

Lebanon is a democratic country with free choice to choose any candidate to be representative for the people in the parliament. Many years of wars and occupations has destroyed much of the free process and democratic system.

Today there are regions that are under the threat of weapons and money.

In theory the free elections are in all Lebanese regions. In practice this is not the case. In the many Shiite dominated regions there are the party of Allah, the Hezballa that is in power and is controlling the free will of the people. It has absolute control through its intelligence apparatus. They have both arms and money to make sure they get all the seats in their regions.

In the Sunnite arena there is an overwhelming power from the Future movement of Saad Hariri. With money and services since the 80s they have a good hand over the Sunnite regions. It is more likely that they and their allies will take all the Sunnite seats.

In the Druze regions it is clear that the Jumblat family will win easy.

In most Christian regions there will be a real battle and a real election. The situation is such that the different parties and politicians are very close to each others in numbers of supporters. Regions like Keserwen, Jbeil, Batroun, Metn, Baabda, Aley, Zahle will see real battles and a democratic process that is very rare in the entire Middle East (despite Israel).

Money in the democratic game is very popular and many candidates have a habit of bribing voters and giving them big services to get their support and votes. Media also tend to get paid to put the light on certain candidates.

All this makes the new candidates and candidates that want to work pure politics having hard time to achieve good results.

The Aramean Democratic Organization, ArDO is a political organization that has the will and courage to challenge the ruling parties and traditional leaders through one candidate in the Batroun region. Other organisations and individuals are doing the same in other regions.

There are 128 seats that the Lebanese parliament includes. In the beginning 701 candidates started the race and in time they got little less. Some candidates withdrew for the favour of other candidates and got paid for that.

Others withdrew because of different principal reasons.

June the 7 will show 2 battles. One is if Lebanon will get closer to Iran and Syria or closer to the International community. The second battle is if the Christian Lebanese will continue to be in coma or if they will wake up to their true identity, roots and unique civilization.

We will see what the people will choose in the free regions.