A Basic Guide:Lebanon’s Main Political Groups

By Deen Shariff SharpResearcher and Freelance JournalistContact: deensharp@gmail.comJanuary, 20091

The Lebanese Government Post-Doha Agreement

President:Michel SleimanAssumed office: May, 2008Prime Minister:

Fouad SinioraAffiliated (with Future Movement)Assumed office: July, 2005Speaker of the House: Nabhi Berri(Party Head of Amal)Assumed office: November, 1992

Due to the National Pact, an unwritten agreement created in 1943, the President must beMaronite Christian, the Prime Minister Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of the House Shia’Muslim.

This agreement was made after the clashes in May 2008 and ended an 18 month long political crisis. Theagreement resulted in the election of General Sleiman to the Presidency; the formation of a national unitygovernment that consisted of 16 ministers from the majority, 11 ministers from the opposition and threeministers selected by the President. Importantly this agreement gave the opposition members a veto in thenational unity government.

Ministries

Deputy Prime Minister

InteriorZiad Baroud (President Quota)

Issam Abu Jamra (FPM)

Foreign Affairs

DefenseElias Murr (President Quota)

Fawzi SalloukhAmal*Finance TelecommunicationsMohammed Chattah FMGebran Bassil FPMEducation HealthBahia Hariri FM

Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh (Amal)

Agriculture LaborElias Skaff C&R Mohammad Fneich HezbollahPower, Energy and Water Public WorksAlain Tabourian C&RGhaziAridi PSPYouth and Sport CultureTalal Arslan LDP Tammam SalamDisplaced Persons InformationRamond AudiTarek MitriEconomy & Trade IndustryMohammad Safadi FMGhazi Zeaiter AmalJustice Social AffairsIbrahim Naar LFMario Aoun FPMTourism

Development AffairsIbrahim Shamssedine

Elias Marouni KataebEnvironmentAntoine Karam LF

Ministers without portfolio: Wael Abu Faour (PSP), Nassib Lahoud (DRP), JeanOgaspian (FM), Khalid Qabbani (FM), Ali Qanso (SSNP), Youssef Taqla (PresidentQuota)

* = Independent but affiliated with party listed