The Progressive Socialist Party is a Lebanese political party. Its confessional base is in the Druze sect and its regional base is in Mount Lebanon Governorate, especially the Chouf District. Founded by Kamal Jumblatt in 1949, the party was led by his son Walid Jumblatt between 1977 and 25 May 2023. On 25 June 2023 the son of Walid, Taymur Jumblatt, was officially consecrated as leader of the PSP.
Kamal Fouad Jumblatt was a Lebanese politician who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. He led the National Movement during the Lebanese Civil War. He was a major ally of the Palestine Liberation Organization until his assassination in 1977. He authored more than 40 books centered on various political, philosophical, literary, religious, medical, social, and economic topics. In September 1972, Kamal Jumblatt received the International Lenin Peace Prize. He is the father of the Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and the son-in-law of the Arab writer and politician Shakib Arslan.
Bechara Khalil El Khoury was a Lebanese politician who served as the 1st president of Lebanon, holding office from 21 September 1943 to 18 September 1952, apart from an 11-day interruption in 1943. He had previously served two short terms as Prime Minister, from 5 May 1927 to 10 August 1928, and 9 May to 11 October 1929.
Emir Majid Toufic Arslan was a Lebanese Druze leader and head of the Arslan feudal Druze ruling family. Arslan was the leader of the Yazbaki faction. Majid Arslan was a national political figure with a role in Lebanon's independence, a long-running Member of the Lebanese Parliament. During his time as a government minister, he held number of important ministerial portfolios, most notably Defense, Health, Telecommunications, Agriculture and Justice.
Adel Osseiran, also transliterated Adil 'Usayran or Adil Osseyran, was a prominent Lebanese statesman, a former Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, and one of the founding fathers of the Lebanese Republic.
Sabri Hamadeh, also written as Sabri Hamadé or Hamada (1902–1976) was a Lebanese politician and long-time Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament.
General elections were held in Lebanon between 16 and 30 April 1972. Independent candidates won a majority of seats, although most of them were considered members of various blocs. Voter turnout was 54.4%.
General elections were held in Lebanon between 23 August and 11 October 1992, the first since 1972. Independent candidates won the majority of seats, although most of them were considered members of various blocs. Voter turnout was 30.3%.
General elections were held in Lebanon between 18 August and 15 September 1996. Independent candidates won the majority of seats, although most of them were considered members of various blocs. Voter turnout was 43.3%.
General elections were held in Lebanon between 27 August and 3 September 2000 to elect the 128 members of the Parliament of Lebanon. Independent candidates won the majority of seats, although most of them were considered members of various blocs. Voter turnout was 40.5%.
General elections were held in Lebanon on 6 May 2018. Although originally scheduled for 2013, the election was postponed three times in 2013, 2014 and 2017 for various reasons, including the security situation, the failure of the Parliament to elect a new President, and the technical requirements of holding an election. A new electoral law adopted in 2017 provides a proportional representation system for the first time.
Voting to elect eight members of the Lebanese parliament took place in Chouf District on April 7, 1968, as part of the national general election of that year. Three of the seats of the constituency were earmarked for the Maronite community, two for the Sunni Muslim, two for the Druze whilst the last seat was allocated to the Greek Catholics. The Chouf District constituency had 78,557 eligible voters, out of whom 46,056 voted. All in all Chouf District was one of the most hotly contested constituencies in the election, being the home turf of Camille Chamoun and Kamal Jumblatt. The situation in the constituency was tense, but the polls went through without violent incidents. However, Jumblatt did accuse 'a large embassy in Beirut' of buying votes for Chamoun.
On January 10, 1971, a by-poll was held to elect a member of parliament from one of the Sunni Muslim seats from Chouf District in the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies. The constituency was a very sensitive area, as it was the home to arch-rivals Kamal Jumblatt and Camille Chamoun. The election was described by contemporary observers as the 'most fiery Lebanon had ever witnessed in a by-election'. There was a massive presence of security forces deployed in the constituency during the campaign and on the voting day in particular.
The Za'im system, also known as zuama clientelism, is a corrupt patronage system in Lebanon. A political boss, known as a Za'im, is from a leading family in the country's electoral districts. They manipulate elections and distribute political favors and financial rewards to the highest bidder. A za'im can run for office or encourage votes for another to have another in his debt. Votes are often obtained through bribery or force. Individuals elected to parliament view their primary goal to serve the needs of their local clients, neglect any national issues and use parliament to further their regional-sectarian interests. The Za'im dressed in tailored European suits, which misled many visitors at the time. According to As'ad AbuKhalil, many Zuama became warlords during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990). He has also stated that they are often sponsored by foreign governments, through which foreign embassies play a role in making political decisions in Lebanon.
Beirut II was a parliamentary constituency in Lebanon. It covered three neighbourhoods (quartiers) of the capital; Dar El Mreisse, Zuqaq al-Blat and Bachoura. Michael Hudson described Beirut II as a 'small "catch-all" district'. This constituency was used in the 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 elections.
Beirut V – Minet El Hosn was an electoral district in Lebanon, used in the 1953 parliamentary election. The electoral district covered three neighbourhoods of Beirut and elected a Minorities parliamentarian. Joseph Chader of the Kataeb Party was elected from the district in 1953.
Joseph Chader was a Lebanese Armenian Catholic politician. He was a Member of Parliament between 1951 and 1977, and served as deputy speaker at times. In 1958 he became the first Armenian government minister in Lebanon. He served as vice chairman of the Kataeb Party.
Bekaa I is an electoral district in Lebanon, as per the 2017 vote law. The district elects 2 Greek Catholic parliamentarians, 1 Maronite, 1 Greek Orthodox, 1 Armenian Orthodox, 1 Shia and 1 Sunni. The electoral district covers the qada of Zahle. The electoral district retained the geographic boundaries and seat allocation of the Zahle electoral district from the previous electoral law.
General elections were held in Lebanon on 15 May 2022 to elect all 128 members of the Lebanese Parliament. The country has for several years been the subject of chronic political instability as well as a serious economic crisis aggravated by the 2020 explosions that hit the Port of Beirut and faced large-scale demonstrations against the political class.
