A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Abolishing Political Sectarianism in Lebanon: Qifa Nabki Helps Clarify This

Over the last week or so there's been a lot of talk — originally sparked by President Michel Suleiman — about abolishing "political sectarianism" in Lebanon: the system that reserves various government jobs to particular ethno-sectarian groups (President and Army chief Maronites, PM Sunni, Speaker Shi‘i, etc. down to how many Protestant MPs there are). It has also prevented Lebanon from taking a census in decades. Too explosive.

But it's also a perennial and thorny problem. I've been pondering whether to open that can of worms and do a post.

Problem solved: Qifa Nabki posted on it, so I'll just send you there. He has links, commenters, etc. and knows Lebanon far better than I.

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