Democracy in Lebanon : political parties and the struggle for power since Syrian withdrawal / Abbas Assi.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Assi, Abbas, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Lebanon--Politics and government--1990-.

Lebanon.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

xvi, 246 pages : maps ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

London : I.B. Tauris, 2016.

Summary:

The 'Cedar Revolution' in Lebanon, which was sparked by the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on 14 February 2005, was seen by many as an opportunity for Lebanon's fragile political system to move towards a more stable form of democracy. But contrary to these expectations, in the years since Syrian military withdrawal in April 2005, Lebanon has been plagued with sectarian and political unrest and conflict. Abbas Assi here explores the obstacles that impeded the democratic transition process and how subsequent events since 2005 (such as the passing of UNSCR 1559, the 2006 Hizbullah-Israel war and the Syrian conflict) have bolstered this trend. By looking at these, Assi examines how the intersection of the influence of external factors and powers with domestic conflicts has shaped the behaviour of political parties and has had implications on their ability to reach compromises and initiate democratic reforms. By analysing the impact of the intersection of domestic and external factors on democracy, this book is a vital reference for those studying politics of Lebanon and the Middle East more broadly. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Consociation 13

2 Weaknesses of Lebanon's Consociational Model in the Post-2005 Era 50

3 The Democratization Process in the Pre- and Post-Syrian Withdrawal 88

4 Domestic Variables and Political Parties since 2005 112

5 External Variables and Political Parties since 2005 141

6 The 2013 Parliamentary Elections and the Syrian Conflict 175.

ISBN:

9781784530938

178453093X

OCLC:

956968734