On May 21, 2008, Lebanese political factions signed an agreement ending 18 months of political deadlock. Qatari officials, with support of Iranian, Saudi and Syrian representatives, played a critical role in mediating the agreement signed in Doha, Qatar. The deal included four main points:
President
According to the terms of the agreement, the Lebanese parliament convened to elect army chief General Michel Suleiman as president, a post vacant since November 2007. Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, speaker of Lebanon’s parliament, previously refused to permit the election of Suleiman until other opposition demands were met.
Cabinet Formation
The deal called for the formation of a 30-seat national unity government with 16 cabinet seats given to the March 14 coalition, 11 seats to Hezbollah-led parties, and the three remaining seats appointed by President Suleiman. By controlling at least one-third of the cabinet, the agreement gave the opposition the power to veto legislation. The ruling coalition had avoided making this concession to the opposition, which was one of the main reasons for the political deadlock since November 2006.
The factions have yet to come to an agreement regarding the allocation of key cabinet positions. On June 30, Suleiman undertook efforts aimed at reaching an agreement between the sides.
New Rules for 2009 Election
The political factions also agreed to changes in Lebanon’s electoral districting system. The compromise creates smaller districts in the country that allow for more equal representation of Lebanon’s various groups and will influence power sharing after the 2009 parliamentary elections. The agreement, which likely benefits Hezbollah’s Christian allies, complicates the March 14 coalition’s ability to preserve a working majority.
Use of Weapons
According to the terms of the agreement, all factions pledged not to use their weapons internally. In May, Hezbollah violated a previous pledge not to use its weapons in internal politics. The Doha agreement, however, did not resolve the issue of Hezbollah’s arsenal, but the ruling coalition and opposition vowed to begin discussions on Hezbollah’s arms.
On June 22, a new round of clashes began between government supporters and groups associated with the Hezbollah. On June 30, President Suleiman held a meeting with Lebanese security officials to discuss ways to stabilize the country’s security situation.
