March 8 Alliance
Encyclopedia
The March 8 Alliance is a coalition of various political parties in Lebanon
. It has been the ruling coalition since January 25, 2011 when the alliance managed to nominate Najib Mikati
as the new prime minister.
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.
Although the Free Patriotic Movement
was initially considered as part of the March 14 Alliance
, through its participation in the Cedar Revolution
's mass demonstration on 14 March, 2005, on 6 February, 2006, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with Hezbollah and thus left the March 14 Alliance.
and his bloc quit the "Change and Reform Bloc" of Michel Aoun
. declaring a more independent stand.
The Progressive Socialist Party
left the March 14 alliance in January 2011 after being one of its cornerstones, and aligned itself on the March 8 Alliance, the "Change and Reform Bloc". This move gave the March 8 Alliance and its partners a majority in the parliament, allowing them to name Najib Miqati Prime Minister to head a coalition government.
and consists of:
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. It has been the ruling coalition since January 25, 2011 when the alliance managed to nominate Najib Mikati
Najib Mikati
Najib Azmi Mikati is a Lebanese politician, billionaire and is the current Prime Minister of Lebanon since 13 June 2011. From April 2005 to July 2005 he was Prime Minister of Lebanon in a caretaker government...
as the new prime minister.
History
The name dates back to 8 March, 2005 when different parties called for a mass demonstration in downtown BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in response to the Cedar Revolution
Cedar Revolution
The Cedar Revolution or Independence Intifada was a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon triggered by the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005.The primary goals of the original activists were the...
. The demonstration thanked Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
for helping stop the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
and the aid in stabilising Lebanon and supporting the Lebanese resistance to the Israeli occupation.
Although the Free Patriotic Movement
Free Patriotic Movement
The Free Patriotic Movement , also known as the "Aounist Movement" , is a Lebanese political party, led by Michel Aoun and allied with Hezbollah, The movement was officially declared a political party on September 18, 2005Though most of the party's support comes from Lebanon's...
was initially considered as part of the March 14 Alliance
March 14 Alliance
The March 14 alliance , named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon that call for sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, led by MP Saad Hariri, younger son of Rafik Hariri, the assassinated former prime minister of Lebanon, as...
, through its participation in the Cedar Revolution
Cedar Revolution
The Cedar Revolution or Independence Intifada was a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon triggered by the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005.The primary goals of the original activists were the...
's mass demonstration on 14 March, 2005, on 6 February, 2006, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
with Hezbollah and thus left the March 14 Alliance.
Membership changes
In March and April 2008 Michel MurrMichel Murr
Michel Murr is a Lebanese politician and businessman. He first occupied the post of Minister of the Interior, as well as being Deputy Prime Minister in Rafik Hariri's first cabinet in 1992 and remained in the post in all subsequent cabinets formed by Hariri, except the last one, in which his son,...
and his bloc quit the "Change and Reform Bloc" of Michel Aoun
Michel Aoun
Michel Naim Aoun is a former Lebanese Army Commander and he is one of the allies of Hezbollah. From 22 September 1988 to 13 October 1990, he has served as Prime Minister of the legal one of two rival governments that contended for power. He declared "The Liberation War" against the Syrian...
. declaring a more independent stand.
The Progressive Socialist Party
Progressive Socialist Party
The Progressive Socialist Party or PSP , also known as Parti Socialiste Progressiste in French, is a political party in Lebanon. Its current leader is Walid Jumblatt...
left the March 14 alliance in January 2011 after being one of its cornerstones, and aligned itself on the March 8 Alliance, the "Change and Reform Bloc". This move gave the March 8 Alliance and its partners a majority in the parliament, allowing them to name Najib Miqati Prime Minister to head a coalition government.
Constituent parties
The current majority holds 68 of 128 seats in the parliament after the 2009 electionsLebanese general election, 2009
-Background:Prior to the election, the process to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 years was put into motion, but as this requires a constitutional amendment, it did not happen before the election.- Allocation of seats :...
and consists of:
| Party | Arabic Name | Seats in Parliament (after 2009 election) | Demographic Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Patriotic Movement Free Patriotic Movement The Free Patriotic Movement , also known as the "Aounist Movement" , is a Lebanese political party, led by Michel Aoun and allied with Hezbollah, The movement was officially declared a political party on September 18, 2005Though most of the party's support comes from Lebanon's... |
at-Tayyar al-Watani al-Hurr | 19 | Secular, predominantly Christian |
| Amal Movement Amal Movement Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa... |
Harakat Amal | 13 | Secular, predominantly Shi'a Muslim |
| Hezbollah | Hizballah | 12 | Shi'a Muslim |
| Progressive Socialist Party Progressive Socialist Party The Progressive Socialist Party or PSP , also known as Parti Socialiste Progressiste in French, is a political party in Lebanon. Its current leader is Walid Jumblatt... |
al-Hizb at-Taqaddumi al-Ishtiraki | 7 | Secular, predominantly Druze Druze The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism... |
| Lebanese Democratic Party Lebanese Democratic Party The Lebanese Democratic Party is a political party in Lebanon established by Prince Talal Arslan in 2001... |
al-Hizb ad-Dimuqrati al-Lubnani | 4 | Secular, Druze Druze The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism... |
| El Marada Movement | Tayyar al-Marada | 3 | Christian, mainly Maronite |
| Glory Movement Harakat Majd The Glory Movement has two seats in the Lebanese Parliament. Najib Mikati has been the party leader since 2004. Mikati was a former Lebanese Prime Minister for the period April to July 2005.... |
Harakat Majd | 2 | Sunni Muslim |
| Armenian Revolutionary Federation Armenian Revolutionary Federation in Lebanon The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party very active in Lebanon since the 1920s as an official political party in the country after having started with small student cells in the late 1890s and early 1900s.The party is considered to have the biggest political support... |
Tashnag | 2 | Secular Armenian |
| Syrian Social Nationalist Party Syrian Social Nationalist Party The Syrian Social Nationalist Party , is a secular nationalist political party in Lebanon and Syria. It advocates the establishment of a Syrian nation state spanning the Fertile Crescent, including present day Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Israel, Cyprus, Kuwait,... |
al-Hizb as-Suri al-Qawmi al-Ijtima'i | 2 | Secular with support across all communities |
| Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party | Hizb al-Ba'th al-Arabi al-Ishtiraki | 2 | Secular |
| Solidarity Party Solidarity Party (Lebanon) The Solidarity Party is a Lebanese political party established and led by Emile Rahme and part of the March 8 Alliance. It has one seat in the Lebanese Parliament.- Reference :... |
Hizb at-Tadamoun | 1 | Maronite Christian |
| Skaff Bloc Skaff Bloc The Skaff Bloc or Popular Bloc, led by Elias Skaff, is a 5 members bloc in the Lebanese Parliament that aligns with the Free Patriotic Movement. It is part of the current Lebanese opposition Change and Reform bloc, headed by Michel Aoun.... |
Kutlat Skaff | 0 | Secular, mainly Greek Catholic Melkite Greek Catholic Church The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of... |
| Popular Nasserite Organization Popular Nasserite Organization The Popular Nasserist Organization – PNO or Organisation Populaire Nassérienne in French, is a Sidon-based Nasserist party originally formed in 1973 by Maarouf Saad, a Sunni Pan-Arab politician and member of Parliament later killed by the Lebanese Army during a February 1975 dock strike held... |
at-Tanzim ash-Sha’bi al-Nasiri | 0 | Secular, mainly Sunni Muslim |
| Arab Democratic Party Arab Democratic Party (Lebanon) The Arab Democratic Party – ADP or Parti Démocratique Arabe in French, is a Lebanese party, based in Tripoli. Its current leader is Ali Eid.- Origins :... |
al-Hizb ad-Dimuqrati al-Arabi | 0 | Alawi Alawi The Alawis, also known as Alawites, Nusayris and Ansaris are a prominent mystical and syncretic religious group centred in Syria who are a branch of Shia Islam.-Etymology:... Muslims |