March 8 Alliance
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The March 8 Alliance (Template:Langx) is a loose coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon formed in 2005 that are united by their pro-Ba'athist Syria[1] stance and their opposition to the former March 14 Alliance. It was the ruling coalition in Lebanon with the government headed by Prime Minister Najib Mikati from June 2011 until March 2013.[2] Main parties of the March 8 Alliance are part of the third Cabinet of Najib Mikati since 2021.[3]
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.[4] 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.[5] The Free Patriotic Movement led by Michel Aoun eventually joined the rival March 8 Alliance, becoming one of its principal coalition partners.
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.[6] The FPM split from the March 14 Alliance on 6 February 2006, when its leader Michel Aoun signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah.[7] The FPM considered its project against the Syrian government completed when the Syrian Army left Lebanon at the end of April 2005.[8]
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.[9]
The government led by March 8 Alliance survived 22 months until Mikati's resignation on 23 March 2013.[10]
2016 presidential elections
After a presidential vacuum that lasted from 23 April 2014 until 31 October 2016, the Parliament was able to elect MP and former General Michel Aoun, who in turn nominated March 14 member Saad Hariri as Prime Minister.
2018 legislative elections
The alliance emerged victorious as they gathered 76 seats out of 128 (60%), in the first legislative elections since 2009.
| Name | Party/Bloc | District | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alain Aoun | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Baabda | Maronite |
| Hikmat Dib | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Baabda | Maronite |
| Roger Azar | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Keserwan | Maronite |
| Simon Abi Ramia | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Byblos | Maronite |
| Ibrahim Kanaan | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Metn | Maronite |
| Edgard Maalouf | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Metn | Greek Catholic |
| Elias Bou Saab | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Metn | Greek Orthodox |
| Hagop Pakradounian | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Tashnaq | Metn | Armenian Orthodox |
| Talal Arslan | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Lebanese Democratic Party | Aley | Druze |
| Cesar Abi Khalil | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Aley | Maronite |
| Ziad Assouad | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Jezzine | Maronite |
| Salim Khoury | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Jezzine | Greek Catholic |
| Assaad Dargham | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Akkar | Greek Orthodox |
| Mustapha Ali Hussein | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Independent | Akkar | Alawite |
| Georges Atallah | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Koura | Greek Orthodox |
| Gebran Bassil | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Batroun | Maronite |
| Mario Aoun | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Chouf | Maronite |
| Farid Boustany | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Chouf | Maronite |
| Nicolas Sehnaoui | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Beirut I | Greek Catholic |
| Antoine Pano | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Beirut I | Christian Minorities |
| Alexander Matossian | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Tashnaq | Beirut I | Armenian Orthodox |
| Hagop Terzian | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Tashnaq | Beirut I | Armenian Orthodox |
| Edgard Traboulsi | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Beirut II | Protestant |
| Salim Aoun | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Zahle | Maronite |
| Michel Daher | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Independent | Zahle | Greek Catholic |
| Elie Ferzli | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Independent | West Bekaa | Greek Orthodox |
| Ali Ammar | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Baabda | Shia |
| Amin Sharri | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Beirut II | Shia |
| Nawwaf Musawi | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Tyre/Zahrani | Shia |
| Hussein Jashi | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Tyre/Zahrani | Shia |
| Hassan Fadlallah | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Bint Jbeil | Shia |
| Mohammad Raad | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Nabatieh | Shia |
| Ali Fayyad | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Hasbaya/Marjeyoun | Shia |
| Anwar Jomma | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Zahle | Shia |
| Hussein el Hage Hassan | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Baalbeck/Hermil | Shia |
| Ibrahim Mousawi | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Baalbeck/Hermil | Shia |
| Ali Mekdad | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Baalbeck/Hermil | Shia |
| Elwalid Succariyeh | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Baalbeck/Hermil | Sunni |
| Ihab Hamadeh | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Baalbeck/Hermil | Shia |
| Mohamed Khawaja | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Beirut II | Shia |
| Fadi Alameh | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Baabda | Shia |
| Nabih Berri | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Zahrani | Shia |
| Ali Osseiran | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Zahrani | Shia |
| Michel Moussa | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Zahrani | Greek Catholic |
| Ali Khreis | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Tyr | Shia |
| Inaya Ezzeddine | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Tyr | Shia |
| Yassine Jaber | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Nabatieh | Shia |
| Kassem Hachem | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party | Marjeyoun Hasbaya | Sunni |
| Hani Kobeissi | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Nabatieh | Shia |
| Ali Bazzi | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Bint Jbeil | Shia |
| Ayoub Hmayed | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Bint Jbeil | Shia |
| Ali Hassan Khalil | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Marjeyoun Hasbaya | Shia |
| Anwar Khalil | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Marjeyoun Hasbaya | Druze |
| Mohamed Nasrallah | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | West Bekaa Rashaya | Shia |
| Ghazi Zaiter | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Baalbeck Hermel | Shia |
| Salim Saadeh | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon | Koura | Greek Orthodox |
| Assaad Hardan | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon | Marjeyoun Hasbaya | Greek Orthodox |
| Albert Mansour | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon | Baalbeck Hermel | Greek Catholic |
| Tony Frangieh | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Marada Movement | Zgharta | Maronite |
| Estephan Douaihy | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Marada Movement | Zgharta | Maronite |
| Fayez Ghosn | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Marada Movement | Koura | Greek Orthodox |
| Ossama Saad | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Popular Nasserist Organization | Saida | Sunni |
| Adnan Traboulsi | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Al-Ahbash | Beirut II | Sunni |
| Abdul Rahim Mrad | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Union Party | West Bekaa Rashaya | Sunni |
| Faisal Karami | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Arab Liberation Party | Tripoli | Sunni |
2019 cabinet
The Alliance had 18 out of 30 ministers (60%) in the Lebanese Cabinet; it was equally represented in both parliament and cabinet.
| Name | Party | Portfolio (Ministry) | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elias Bou Saab | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Defense | Greek Orthodox |
| Gebran Bassil | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Exterior and Expatriates | Maronite |
| Saleh Gharib | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Lebanese Democratic Party | State Minister for Refugees Affairs | Druze |
| Ghassan Atallah | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Displaced | Greek Catholic |
| Nada Boustani | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Energy and Water | Maronite |
| Avedis Guidanian | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Tashnag | Minister of Tourism | Armenian Orthodox |
| Hassan Mrad | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Union Party | State Minister for Foreign Trade | Sunni |
| Albert Serhan | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Justice | Greek Orthodox |
| Salim Jreissati | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | State Minister for Presidential Affairs | Greek Catholic |
| Mansour Bteich | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Economy and Trade | Maronite |
| Fadi Jreissati | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Environment | Greek Catholic |
| Youssef Finianos | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Marada Movement | Minister of Public Works and Transport | Maronite |
| Ali Hassan Khalil | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Minister of Finance | Shia |
| Muhammad Daoud | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Minister of Culture | Shia |
| Hassan Lakkis | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Amal Movement | Minister of Agriculture | Shia |
| Jamil Jabak | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Independent | Minister of Public Health | Shia |
| Muhammad Fneish | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | Minister of Youth and Sports | Shia |
| Mahmoud Kmati | <templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" /> Hezbollah | State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs | Shia |
September 2021 Cabinet
The Alliance has 16 out of 24 ministers (66%) in the current Lebanese Cabinet; it is equally represented in both parliament and cabinet.
2022 legislative elections
The alliance gathered 61 seats out of 128 (47%) and lost their parliamentary majority but still won the Parliament speaker election.[11]
The 2022 Strong Lebanon bloc was formed by FPM (17), Tashnaq (3) and Akkar MP Mohamad Yehya.[12]
Constituent parties
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It currently holds roughly 51 of 128 seats in the parliament after the 2022 elections and consists of:[13][14]
Former or inactive members
- Popular Nasserist Organization
- Toilers League
- People's Movement
- Al-Mourabitoun
- Nasserist Unionists Movement
References
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ March 8 finished, Aoun out in the cold Template:Webarchive The Daily Star 10 July 2013
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- ↑ Rudy Jaafar and Maria J. Stephan, "Lebanon's Independence Intifada: How an Unarmed Insurrection Expelled Syrian Forces", in Maria J. Stephan (ed.), Civilian Jihad: Nonviolent Struggle, Democratization, and Governance in the Middle East, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2009, pp. 169-85.
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