The March 8 Alliance (Arabic: تحالف 8 آذار, romanized: taḥāluf 8 adhār) is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon formed in 2005 that are united by their pro-Syrian[1] stance and their opposition to the March 14 Alliance. It was the ruling coalition in Lebanon with the government headed by Prime Minister Najib Mikati from June 2011 until March 2013.[2]
The name dates back to 8 March 2005 when different parties called for a mass demonstration in downtown Beirut in response to the Cedar Revolution. The demonstration thanked Syria for helping stop the Lebanese Civil War and the aid in stabilising Lebanon and supporting the Lebanese resistance to the Israeli occupation.
Inclusion of Free Patriotic Movement
The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) was the basis of the March 14 Alliance movement. FPM launched the Liberation War against the Syrian Army on 14 March 1989 and participated in all demonstrations against the Syrian occupation until the Cedar Revolution's mass demonstration on 14 March 2005. The FPM split from the March 14 Alliance on 6 February 2006, when its leader Michel Aoun signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hezbollah. FPM considered its project against the Syrian government completed when the Syrian army left Lebanon at the end of April 2005.
Free Patriotic Movement led by Michel Aoun eventually joined the rival March 8 Alliance, becoming one of its principal coalition partners.
Ruling Alliance (2011–2013)
The Progressive Socialist Party left the March 14 alliance in January 2011 after being one of its cornerstones and ostensibly aligned itself with the alliance's Change and Reform Bloc after Walid Jumblatt visited Damascus. This move gave the alliance and its partners a majority in the parliament, enabling them to name Najib Mikati as prime minister to form the Lebanese government of June 2011.[citation needed]
The government led by March 8 Alliance survived 22 months until Mikati's resignation on 23 March 2013.[3]
2016 presidential elections
After a presidential vacuum that lasted from 23 April 2014 until 31 October 2016, the Parliament was able to elect MP and former General Michel Aoun, who in turn nominated March 14 member Saad Hariri as Prime Minister.
2018 legislative elections
The alliance emerged victorious as they gathered 76 seats out of 128 (60%), in the first legislative elections since 2009.
^March 8 finished, Aoun out in the cold November 16, 2017, at the Wayback MachineThe Daily Star 10 July 2013
^El Basha, Thomas (March 22, 2013). "Lebanese PM announces resignation of his government". The Daily Star. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
January 21, 2023
march, alliance, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources March 8 Alliance news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information May 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The March 8 Alliance Arabic تحالف 8 آذار romanized taḥaluf 8 adhar is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon formed in 2005 that are united by their pro Syrian 1 stance and their opposition to the March 14 Alliance It was the ruling coalition in Lebanon with the government headed by Prime Minister Najib Mikati from June 2011 until March 2013 2 March 8 Alliance تحالف 8 آذارLeaderGebran BassilFounded2005 18 years ago 2005 IdeologyArab nationalismPolitical positionBig tentParliament of Lebanon65 128Cabinet of Lebanon15 24Website8march orgPolitics of LebanonPolitical partiesElections Contents 1 History 1 1 Inclusion of Free Patriotic Movement 1 2 Ruling Alliance 2011 2013 1 3 2016 presidential elections 1 4 2018 legislative elections 1 5 2019 cabinet 1 6 September 2021 Cabinet 2 Constituent parties 3 ReferencesHistory EditThe name dates back to 8 March 2005 when different parties called for a mass demonstration in downtown Beirut in response to the Cedar Revolution The demonstration thanked Syria for helping stop the Lebanese Civil War and the aid in stabilising Lebanon and supporting the Lebanese resistance to the Israeli occupation Inclusion of Free Patriotic Movement Edit The Free Patriotic Movement FPM was the basis of the March 14 Alliance movement FPM launched the Liberation War against the Syrian Army on 14 March 1989 and participated in all demonstrations against the Syrian occupation until the Cedar Revolution s mass demonstration on 14 March 2005 The FPM split from the March 14 Alliance on 6 February 2006 when its leader Michel Aoun signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hezbollah FPM considered its project against the Syrian government completed when the Syrian army left Lebanon at the end of April 2005 Free Patriotic Movement led by Michel Aoun eventually joined the rival March 8 Alliance becoming one of its principal coalition partners Ruling Alliance 2011 2013 Edit The Progressive Socialist Party left the March 14 alliance in January 2011 after being one of its cornerstones and ostensibly aligned itself with the alliance s Change and Reform Bloc after Walid Jumblatt visited Damascus This move gave the alliance and its partners a majority in the parliament enabling them to name Najib Mikati as prime minister to form the Lebanese government of June 2011 citation needed The government led by March 8 Alliance survived 22 months until Mikati s resignation on 23 March 2013 3 2016 presidential elections Edit After a presidential vacuum that lasted from 23 April 2014 until 31 October 2016 the Parliament was able to elect MP and former General Michel Aoun who in turn nominated March 14 member Saad Hariri as Prime Minister 2018 legislative elections Edit The alliance emerged victorious as they gathered 76 seats out of 128 60 in the first legislative elections since 2009 Name Party Bloc District ReligionAlain Aoun Free Patriotic Movement Baabda MaroniteHikmat Dib Free Patriotic Movement Baabda MaroniteRoger Azar Free Patriotic Movement Keserwan MaroniteSimon Abi Ramia Free Patriotic Movement Byblos MaroniteIbrahim Kanaan Free Patriotic Movement Metn MaroniteEdgard Maalouf Free Patriotic Movement Metn Greek CatholicElias Bou Saab Free Patriotic Movement Metn Greek OrthodoxHagop Pakradounian Tashnaq Metn Armenian OrthodoxTalal Arslan Lebanese Democratic Party Aley DruzeCesar Abi Khalil Free Patriotic Movement Aley MaroniteZiad Assouad Free Patriotic Movement Jezzine MaroniteSalim Khoury Free Patriotic Movement Jezzine Greek CatholicAssaad Dargham Free Patriotic Movement Akkar Greek OrthodoxMustapha Ali Hussein Independent Akkar AlawiteGeorges Atallah Free Patriotic Movement Koura Greek OrthodoxGebran Bassil Free Patriotic Movement Batroun MaroniteMario Aoun Free Patriotic Movement Chouf MaroniteFarid Boustany Free Patriotic Movement Chouf MaroniteNicolas Sehnaoui Free Patriotic Movement Beirut I Greek CatholicAntoine Pano Free Patriotic Movement Beirut I Christian MinoritiesAlexander Matossian Tashnaq Beirut I Armenian OrthodoxHagop Terzian Tashnaq Beirut I Armenian OrthodoxEdgard Traboulsi Free Patriotic Movement Beirut II ProtestantSalim Aoun Free Patriotic Movement Zahle MaroniteMichel Daher Independent Zahle Greek CatholicElie Ferzli Independent West Bekaa Greek OrthodoxAli Ammar Hezbollah Baabda ShiaAmin Sharri Hezbollah Beirut II ShiaNawwaf Musawi Hezbollah Tyre Zahrani ShiaHussein Jashi Hezbollah Tyre Zahrani ShiaHassan Fadlallah Hezbollah Bint Jbeil ShiaMohammad Raad Hezbollah Nabatieh ShiaAli Fayyad Hezbollah Hasbaya Marjeyoun ShiaAnwar Jomma Hezbollah Zahle ShiaHussein el Hage Hassan Hezbollah Baalbeck Hermil ShiaIbrahim Mousawi Hezbollah Baalbeck Hermil ShiaAli Mekdad Hezbollah Baalbeck Hermil ShiaElwalid Succariyeh Hezbollah Baalbeck Hermil SunniIhab Hamadeh Hezbollah Baalbeck Hermil ShiaMohamed Khawaja Amal Movement Beirut II ShiaFadi Alameh Amal Movement Baabda ShiaNabih Berri Amal Movement Zahrani ShiaAli Osseiran Amal Movement Zahrani ShiaMichel Moussa Amal Movement Zahrani Greek CatholicAli Khreis Amal Movement Tyr ShiaInaya Ezzeddine Amal Movement Tyr ShiaYassine Jaber Amal Movement Nabatieh ShiaKassem Hachem Amal Movement Marjeyoun Hasbaya SunniHani Kobeissi Amal Movement Nabatieh ShiaAli Bazzi Amal Movement Bint Jbeil ShiaAyoub Hmayed Amal Movement Bint Jbeil ShiaAli Hassan Khalil Amal Movement Marjeyoun Hasbaya ShiaAnwar Khalil Amal Movement Marjeyoun Hasbaya DruzeMohamed Nasrallah Amal Movement West Bekaa Rashaya ShiaGhazi Zaiter Amal Movement Baalbeck Hermel ShiaSalim Saadeh Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon Koura Greek OrthodoxAssaad Hardan Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon Marjeyoun Hasbaya Greek OrthodoxAlbert Mansour Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon Baalbeck Hermel Greek CatholicTony Frangieh Marada Movement Zgharta MaroniteEstephan Douaihy Marada Movement Zgharta MaroniteFayez Ghosn Marada Movement Koura Greek OrthodoxOssama Saad Popular Nasserist Organization Saida SunniAdnan Traboulsi Al Ahbash Beirut II SunniAbdul Rahim Mrad Union Party West Bekaa Rashaya SunniFaisal Karami Arab Liberation Party Tripoli Sunni2019 cabinet Edit The Alliance had 18 out of 30 ministers 60 in the Lebanese Cabinet it was equally represented in both parliament and cabinet Name Party Portfolio Ministry ReligionElias Bou Saab Free Patriotic Movement Minister of Defense Greek OrthodoxGebran Bassil Free Patriotic Movement Minister of Exterior and Expatriates MaroniteSaleh Gharib Lebanese Democratic Party State Minister for Refugees Affairs DruzeGhassan Atallah Free Patriotic Movement Minister of Displaced Greek CatholicNada Boustani Free Patriotic Movement Minister of Energy and Water MaroniteAvedis Guidanian Tashnag Minister of Tourism Armenian OrthodoxHassan Mrad Union Party State Minister for Foreign Trade SunniAlbert Serhan Free Patriotic Movement Minister of Justice Greek OrthodoxSalim Jreissati Free Patriotic Movement State Minister for Presidential Affairs Greek CatholicMansour Bteich Free Patriotic Movement Minister of Economy and Trade MaroniteFadi Jreissati Free Patriotic Movement Minister of Environment Greek CatholicYoussef Finianos Marada Movement Minister of Public Works and Transport MaroniteAli Hassan Khalil Amal Movement Minister of Finance ShiaMuhammad Daoud Amal Movement Minister of Culture ShiaHassan Lakkis Amal Movement Minister of Agriculture ShiaJamil Jabak Independent Minister of Public Health ShiaMuhammad Fneish Hezbollah Minister of Youth and Sports ShiaMahmoud Kmati Hezbollah State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs ShiaSeptember 2021 Cabinet Edit The Alliance has 16 out of 24 ministers 66 in the current Lebanese Cabinet it is equally represented in both parliament and cabinet Portfolio name party ReligiousDeputy Prime Minister Saadeh Al Shami Syrian Social Nationalist Party Greek OrthodoxTelecommunications Johnny Corm Marada Movement MaroniteInformation George Kurdahi resigned Marada Movement MaroniteDefense Maurice Slim Free Patriotic Movement Greek OrthodoxTourism Walid Nassar Free Patriotic Movement MaroniteSocial Affairs Hector Hajjar Free Patriotic Movement Greek CatholicEnergy and Water Walid Fayad Free Patriotic Movement Greek OrthodoxJustice Henry Khoury Free Patriotic Movement MaroniteForeign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib Free Patriotic Movement MaroniteDisplaced Issam Charafeddine Lebanese Democratic Party DruzeLabor Moustafa Bayram Amal Movement ShiaFinance Youssef Khalil Amal Movement ShiaAgriculture Abbas Al Haj Hassan Amal Movement ShiaPublic Works Ali Hamiyeh Hezbollah ShiaCulture Mohammad Mortada Hezbollah ShiaIndustry George Bojikan Tashnag Armenian OrthodoxConstituent parties EditThis article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources March 8 Alliance news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message It currently holds 60 of 128 seats in the parliament after the 2022 elections and consists of Party Arabic name Ideology Parliament of Lebanon GovernmentFree Patriotic Movement التيار الوطني الحر Civic nationalismLebanese nationalism 17 128 governmentAmal Movement حركة أمل ConservatismPopulism 14 128 governmentHezbollah حزب الله Shia IslamismAnti Zionism 13 128 governmentArmenian Revolutionary Federation الإتحاد الثوري الأرمني الطاشناق Armenian nationalismDemocratic socialism 3 128 governmentMarada Movement تيار المردة Lebanese nationalismChristian democracy 2 128 governmentIslamic Charitable Projects Association جمعية المشاريع الخيرية الإسلامية Religious pluralism Islamic neo traditionalismAnti Salafism 2 128 not in governmentPopular Nasserist Organization التنظيم الشعبي الناصري NasserismArab Nationalism 1 128 not in governmentUnion Party حزب الإتحاد Nasserism 1 128 not in governmentArab Socialist Ba ath Party حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي في لبنان Ba athism 1 128 not in governmentSyrian Social Nationalist Party الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي Syrian nationalismSocial nationalism 0 128 governmentArab Liberation Party حزب التحرر العربي Arab nationalismAnti Zionism 0 128 not in governmentLebanese Democratic Party الحزب الديمقراطي اللبناني ConservatismDruze politics 0 128 not in governmentArab Democratic Party االحزب العربي الديمقراطي Arab nationalismBa athism 0 128 not in governmentToiler s League رابطة الشغيلة Pan ArabismMarxism Leninism 0 128 not in governmentPeople s Movement حركة الشعب Left wing populismArab Nationalism 0 128 not in governmentReferences Edit Daoud David January 12 2017 Hezbollah s Latest Conquest Lebanon s Cabinet Newsweek March 8 finished Aoun out in the cold Archived November 16 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Daily Star 10 July 2013 El Basha Thomas March 22 2013 Lebanese PM announces resignation of his government The Daily Star Retrieved March 22 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title March 8 Alliance amp oldid 1124826803, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
