March 8 Alliance
| March 8 Alliance | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 |
| Ideology | Big tent |
| Seats in the Parliament of Lebanon: |
68 / 128 |
| Website | |
|
8march | |
 |
| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Lebanon |
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The March 8 Alliance is a coalition of various political parties in Lebanon. It had been the ruling coalition in Lebanon with the government headed by prime Minister Najib Mikati from June 2011 until 23 March 2013.[1]
History
The name dates back to 8 March 2005 when different parties called for a mass demonstration in downtown Beirut in response to the Cedar Revolution. The demonstration thanked Syria for helping stop the Lebanese Civil War and the aid in stabilising Lebanon and supporting the Lebanese resistance to the Israeli occupation.
Inclusion of Free Patriotic Movement
The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) was the basis of the March 14 Alliance movement. FPM launched the Liberation War against the Syrian Army on 14 March 1989 and participated in all demonstrations against the Syrian occupation until the Cedar Revolution's mass demonstration on 14 March 2005. The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) split from the March 14 Alliance on 6 February 2006, when its leader Michel Aoun signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hezbollah. FPM considered its project against the Syrian government completed when the Syrian army left Lebanon at the end of April 2005.
Free Patriotic Movement led by Michel Aoun eventually joined the rival March 8 Alliance, becoming one of its principal coalition partners.
Ruling Alliance (2011-2013)
The Progressive Socialist Party left the March 14 alliance in January 2011 after being one of its cornerstones and ostensibly aligned itself with the alliance's Change and Reform Bloc after Walid Jumblatt visited Damascus. This move gave the alliance and its partners a majority in the parliament, enabling them to name Najib Mikati as prime minister to form the Lebanese government of June 2011.
The government led by March 8 Alliance survived 22 months until Mikati's resignation on 23 March 2013.[2]
Constituent parties
It held 68 of 128 seats in the parliament after the 2009 elections and consisted of:
| Party | Arabic Name | Seats in Parliament (after 2009 election) | Demographic Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Patriotic Movement | at-Tayyar al-Watani al-Hurr
التيار الوطني الحر |
19 | Maronite Christian |
| Amal Movement | Harakat Amal
حركة أمل |
13 | Shi'a Muslim |
| Hezbollah | Hizballah
حزب الله |
12 | Shi'a Muslim |
| Lebanese Democratic Party | al-Hizb ad-Dimuqrati al-Lubnani
الحزب الديمقراطي اللبناني |
4 | Druze |
| El Marada Movement | Tayyar al-Marada
تيار المردة |
3 | Christian, mainly Maronite |
| Glory Movement | Harakat Majd
حركة مجد |
2 | Sunni Muslim |
| Armenian Revolutionary Federation | Tashnag
الطاشناق |
2 | Armenian |
| Syrian Social Nationalist Party | al-Hizb as-Suri al-Qawmi al-Ijtima'i
الحزب السوري القومي الإجتماعي |
2 | Secular with support across all communities |
| Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Lebanon Region | Hizb al-Ba'th al-Arabi al-Ishtiraki
حزب البعث العربي الإشتراكي |
2 | Secular |
| Solidarity Party | Hizb at-Tadamoun
حزب التضامن |
1 | Maronite Christian |
| Skaff Bloc | Kutlat Skaff
كتلة سكاف |
0 | Greek Catholic Christian |
| Popular Nasserist Organization | at-Tanzim ash-Sha’bi al-Nasiri
التنظيم الشعبي الناصري |
0 | Sunni Muslim |
| Arab Democratic Party | al-Hizb ad-Dimuqrati al-Arabi
الحزب الديمقراطي العربي |
0 | Alawi Muslims |
See also
References
- ↑ March 8 finished, Aoun out in the cold The Daily Star 10 July 2013
- ↑ El Basha, Thomas (22 March 2013). "Lebanese PM announces resignation of his government". The Daily Star. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
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