Combating Sectarian Politics in Lebanon
“Lebanese Civil Society Groups Campaign for Stable Democracy”
By: BBC News
March 29 2007 | Printer Friendly

Civil society groups in Lebanon are calling for an end to their country’s sectarian electoral process.  In the midst of “a four-month stand-off between the Sunni-dominated government and its opponents, led by Shia political party Hezbollah,” several NGOs are urging lawmakers to adopt new electoral laws in order to “create a stable democracy that is less prone to shocks.”

Currently the electoral system in Lebanon is largely influenced by religion and incumbent supremacy.  For example, “each electoral district has multiple seats, all allocated according to sect, and voters must return to their families' ancestral homes to cast their ballots.”  This system was developed for the 2000 parliamentary elections, when Lebanon was still under the subjugation of Syria, in order to ensure the success of incumbents; however, the system remained in place after Syria’s withdrawal in 2005.

In addition to a restructuring of the districts and the introduction of proportional representation, the proposed law “stipulates capping campaign spending, regulating the use of media for electioneering, a 30 percent quota for women on party lists and lowering the voting age to 18 from 21. Lebanese nationals who live abroad would also be permitted to vote.”

The law itself was drafted by “an independent body of 12 specialists, equally divided between Muslims and Christians and headed by former minister Fouad Boutros, [who] presented the draft in June 2006.”  However, plans for parliamentary debate on the proposed law were canceled after the outbreak of the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict in July 2006.