Number of MPs to be reduced to 108
As stipulated by the Taëf Agreement, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, head of the FPM, has proposed a reduction in the number of MPs from 128 to 108.
Six Christian MPs for every 5 Muslim MPs was the formula adopted in Lebanese parliamentary elections from independence in 1943 until 1972. However, due to the civil war that broke out in 1976, elections were suspended for many years. According to the 1960’s electoral Law, the number of MPs was 99, distributed between Christians (54) and Muslims (45). However, in accordance to the Taëf Agreement and in order to achieve equality between Muslims and Christians, it was agreed to raise the number of MPs to 108 by adding nine Muslim MPs (3 Shia’a, 2 Sunnis, 2 Alawite, and 2 Druze). Therefore, the number of MPs became equally distributed between Muslims and Christians (54 Muslims and 54 Christians). Further, in response to Syria’s desire to grant parliamentary seats to its allies, the electoral law was amended for the 1992 elections where the number of MPs became 128 after adding 10 Muslim MPs (5 Sunnis and 5 Shia’a) and 10 Christian MPs (4 Maronite, 3 Greek Orthodox, 2 Greek Catholic, and 1 Armenian Orthodox). The following table shows how the 99, 108, and 128 MPs are distributed among districts and sects.
Distribution of 99, 108, and 128 MPs According to Districts and Sects
|
128 MPs (current status) |
108 MPs (based on Taëf Agreement) |
99 MPs (based on 1960s Law) |
Electoral District |
|
In the 2009 elections, the number of MPs of the three districts of Beirut has been amended. The number of MPs of the first district of Beirut became five. |
No Amendment |
8 MPs: 3 Armenian Orthodox 1 Maronite 1 Greek Catholic 1 Evangelical 1 Greek Orthodox 1 Armenian Catholic |
First District of Beirut |
|
Following the amendment, the number of MPs became four. |
No Amendment |
3 MPs: 1 Sunni 1 Shia’a 1 Christian Minorities |
Second District of Beirut |
|
Following the amendment, one Shiite MP was added and the number of MPs became ten. |
Two MPs were added, one Sunni and one Druze |
5 MPs: 4 Sunnis 1 Greek Orthodox |
Third District of Beirut |
|
No Amendment |
One Shiite MP was added and the number of MPs became six |
5 MPs: 3 Maronite 1 Shia’a 1 Druze |
Baabda |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
5 MPs: 2 Maronite 2 Druze 1 Greek Orthodox |
Aley |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
8 MPs: 3 Maronite 2 Sunni 2 Druze 1 Greek Catholic |
Shouf |
|
Three MPs were added: 1 Maronite 1 Greek Orthodox 1 Greek Catholic The number of MPs became eight. |
No Amendment |
5 MPs: 3 Maronite 1 Greek Orthodox 1 Armenian Orthodox |
Matn |
|
One Maronite MP was added and the number of MPs became five. |
No Amendment |
4 Maronite MPs |
Kessrouan |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
3 MPs: 2 Maronite 1 Shia’a |
Jbeil |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
2 Maronite MPs |
Batroun |
|
One Greek Orthodox MP was added and the number of MPs became three. |
No Amendment |
2 Greek Orthodox MPs |
Koura |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
3 Maronite MPs |
Zgharta |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
2 Maronite MPs |
Bsharri |
|
One Sunni MP was added and the number of MPs became three. |
No Amendment |
2 Sunni MPs |
Mennieh-Dennieh |
|
Two MPs were added, one Greek Orthodox and one Sunni and the number of MPs became seven. |
One Alawite MP was added and the number of MPs became five. |
4 MPs: 2 Sunnis 1 Maronite 1 Greek Orthodox |
Akkar |
|
One Maronite MP was added and the number of MPs became eight. |
Two MPs were added, one Sunni and one Alawite and the number of MPs became seven. |
5 MPs: 4 Sunnis 1 Greek Orthodox |
Tripoli |
|
Two MPs were added, one Shiite and one Sunni and the number of MPs became ten. |
One Shiite MP was added and the number of MPs became eight. |
7 MPs: 4 Shia’a 1 Sunni 1 Maronite 1 Greek Catholic |
Baalbeck-Hermel |
|
Two MPs were added, one Greek Catholic and one Armenian Orthodox and the number of MPs became seven. |
No Amendment |
5 MPs: 1 Greek Catholic 1 Maronite 1 Sunni 1 Shia’a 1 Greek Orthodox |
Zahle |
|
Three MPs were added: 1 Sunni 1 Maronite 1 Shia’a |
No Amendment |
3 MPs: 1 Sunni 1 Druze 1 Greek Orthodox |
Western Beqa’a-Rashaya |
|
No Amendment |
One Druze MP was added and the number of MPs became five |
4 MPs: 2 Shia’a 1 Sunni 1 Greek Orthodox |
Hasbaya-Marjeyoun |
|
One Shiite MP was added and the number of Shiite MPs became three. |
No Amendment |
2 Shia’a MPs |
Bint Jbeil |
|
One Shiite MP was added and the number of Shiite MPs became four. |
No Amendment |
3 Shia’a MPs |
Tyre |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
3 Shia’a MPs |
Nabatieh |
|
No Amendment |
One Shiite MP was added and the number of MPs became three |
2 MPs: 1 Shia’a 1 Greek Catholic |
Zahrani |
|
One Sunni MP was added and the number of Sunni MPs became two. |
No Amendment |
1 Sunni MPs |
Saida |
|
No Amendment |
No Amendment |
3 MPs: 2 Maronite 1 Greek Catholic |
Jezzine |
|
128 MPs: 64 Christian MPs: 34 Maronite 14 Greek Orthodox 8 Greek Catholic 5 Armenian Orthodox 1 Armenian Catholic 1 Evangelical 1 Minorities
64 Muslim MPs: 27 Shia’a 8 Druze 2 Alawite |
108 MPs: 54 Christian MPs: 30 Maronite 11 Greek Orthodox 6 Greek Catholic 4 Armenian Orthodox 1 Armenian Catholic 1 Evangelical 1 Minorities
54 Muslim MPs: 22 Shia’a 8 Druze 2 Alawite |
99 MPs: 54 Christian MPs: 30 Maronite 11 Greek Orthodox 6 Greek Catholic 4 Armenian Orthodox 1 Armenian Catholic 1 Evangelical 1 Minorities
45 Muslim MPs: 20 Sunnis 19 Shia’a 6 Druze |
Total |
In case of nullification of the 20 parliamentary seats:
The Shia'a alliance (Amal Movement and Hezbollah) will lose 4 seats: one Shia’a seat in Tyre, Bint Jbeil, Baalbeck and Hermel and one Sunni seat in Baalbeck and Hermel.
- The Future Movement will lose 12 seats: the two Shia’a seats in Western Beqa’a and the third district of Beirut, the four Sunni seats in Akkar, Mennieh-Dennieh, Saida and Western Beqa’a, the two Maronite seats in Western Beqa’a and Tripoli, the two Greek Orthodox seats in Akkar and Koura, the Catholic and the Armenian Orthodox seat of Zahle.
- The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) will lose 4 seats: the Maronite seat in Kessrouan and the three seats in Matn (one Maronite seat, one Greek Catholic seat, and one Greek Orthodox seat).
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