Lebanon

The International Republican Institute (IRI) believes the development of issue-driven public policy is critical to strengthening democratic institutions in Lebanon. To this end, IRI is carrying out a program that tackles major challenges to democratic rule and supports Lebanese aspirations for independence. IRI supports the conduct of high quality public opinion polling to inform political party leaders, civil society and elected officials of citizen priorities. In addition, IRI is working with political party leaders and grassroots activists to develop party platforms and initiatives that have cross-sectarian appeal. In May 2006 IRI established an office in Beirut to augment its work with political parties, elected officials and grassroots activists.

Public Opinion Research

IRI polling, conducted by Statistics Lebanon, forms a central feature of the institute's program. Data generated from the polls is used with political party leaders and activists to encourage the development of more issue-driven party platforms and policy agendas. IRI and Statistics Lebanon formed the Lebanese Opinion Advisory Committee (LOAC) with prominent Lebanese thinkers/academics who represent Lebanon’s various communities. The members of the LOAC assist with writing and refining survey instruments; assist with methodology and analysis of opinion research; participate in analysis and presentation of survey results; and serve as spokespeople with news media and other interested parties.

Along with LOAC, IRI has fielded two national polls since June 2006. The poll focused on public perception of election laws, policy priorities peoples’ beliefs about the efficacy of government policies, their support for the current government and power sharing arrangements. A third national poll, completed in June 2007, offers substantive comparison with the previous polls regarding public perceptions of the government’s performance, underlying causes and solutions for the stalemate between the government and opposition. A complete analysis of the polls is available at LOAC’s website.

Political Party Development

IRI is providing technical assistance on message and platform development, membership development and organization building to political parties across Lebanon's political spectrum. In particular, IRI is working to help political parties appeal to the electorate through platforms and policy programs that cut across confessional lines. The development of broad-based, moderate and modern political party practices is essential for these parties to grow and experience electoral success in Lebanon’s emerging democratic environment.

Training seminars are tailored to the specific needs of individual parties. Broadly speaking, IRI works with its partners on the following topics: principles of internal party organization, developing organizational strength, election of party officers, public opinion research, communication skills, public speaking and developing political party messages. Given the highly politicized environment, IRI has given careful consideration to maintaining a balanced and equitable approach; consistently reaching out to parties affiliated with both the opposition and the government coalitions.

IRI's began working in Lebanon during the 2005 parliamentary elections, when IRI supported the country’s first-ever exit polling. In the first Lebanese national elections conducted free from foreign interference in more than a decade, IRI-supported polling helped lend credibility and legitimacy to Lebanon's election process by serving as an additional check on the outcome of races. IRI's partner, Statistics Lebanon, yielded a 99.5 percent rate of accuracy over four rounds of voting when polling results were compared with official results released by the Lebanese government. Results of polling were covered by numerous Lebanese newspapers and on television.

Lebanon has faced many challenges in establishing a stable and democratic political system. Through its devastating 15-year civil war, the country’s political, economic and security institutions were badly damaged. The1990 Taif Agreement officially ended the war and charted a course toward sectarian reconciliation, yet a strong Syrian presence remained in the country that prevented Lebanon from building strong institutions. Syrian interference and manipulation of the political system was resented by many, and with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2004, and an implied Syrian role in his murder, more than a million Lebanese gathered in Beirut to mount peaceful demonstrations that ultimately drove the Syrians out of Lebanon.

This withdrawal was a major victory for democratic forces in Lebanon and ushered in a new era of optimism for further reform. However, Lebanon's political story continues to be volatile and unpredictable. The assassination of several leading figures, such as prominent journalist Gibran Tueni in 2005, Minister of the Interior Pierre Gemayel in November 2006 and Parliamentarian Walid Eido in June 2007, underscores the ongoing role of external forces in domestic politics.

The country had been steadily rebuilding after its civil war, but fighting between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 set back post-war reconstruction. In the months following the war, dissatisfaction with the government's performance increased. In October, opposition ministers allied with the two largest Shiite movements, Hezbollah and Amal, and the Free Patriotic Movement, withdrew from the government and their supporters staged protests to topple the government and call for new elections.

Since the end of last summer's war, the opposition has asserted itself to have a more prominent role in government decisions. This has created a prolonged stalemate between political parties aligned with the government versus those loyal to the opposition. Frustrated with the ongoing stalemate, the opposition has threatened to create a parallel, alternative government in order to press its demands. The key issues to be addressed in the coming months are the International Tribunal to investigate the Hariri’s assassination and the election by parliament of a new president scheduled for September 25.

Despite the current stalemate, there is reason to be optimistic about the long-term development of democratic practices in Lebanon. The assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri produced an unprecedented outpouring of national unity demonstrating the strong sense of national pride held by most Lebanese. This may provide an opportunity to move beyond the confessional divisions that have plagued the country for decades. To date, this symbolic sense of nationalism has not translated into broad-based, national political party agendas and political parties continue to define constituencies in narrow, sectarian terms. With new opportunities for democratic advances, the need to address important national challenges facing the country is more pressing than ever before.

Political Overview

Head of Government: Prime Minister Fouad Siniora

Type of Government: republic

Suffrage: compulsory for all males age 21; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education

Elections Calendar

Program Overview

Focus of Program: strengthening political parties and political participation

Funding Source: U.S. Department of States’ Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor