Qifa Nabki
Lebanon
Nasser’s Charisma and the Mideast’s Bygone Secularism
My father often says that in mid-century Saida, it was rare to see women wearing the veil in public. Stories like this are a dime a dozen among the retiree set, and even 50-somethings can harken back to a more secular Lebanon. As`ad Abu Khalil talks about how, during his student days, he would drink … Continue reading
Be Sure To Check Out Beirut Design Week
If you are in Beirut at the moment, be sure not to miss the chance to check out the various talks, conferences, films, exhibitions, and workshops connected with Beirut Design Week. The quality of some of the projects is really stellar. You can find the program here. I was thinking recently that I have moments … Continue reading
PR to the People
Someone remarked recently on this blog that proportional representation (PR) is notoriously difficult to explain, particularly in a country like Lebanon that already has a kind of proportional quota system in place. The Civil Campaign for Electoral Reform (CCER) has produced a great animated video that breaks down the proposed system and makes it pretty … Continue reading
Saleh El Machnouk Responds to Qifa Nabki
The political commentator and activist Saleh El Machnouk, whom I discussed in a recent post about Saad Hariri’s declining relevance among Lebanese Sunnis, sent me a response over email a couple days ago which I publish below with his permission. As you’ll see, it reinforces the point I made earlier about the possibilities for public … Continue reading
Clientelism, Vote Buying, and Ballot Reform in Lebanon
We’re a year away from the next Lebanese parliamentary elections, and there has been no final agreement on the proposed reforms for the next electoral law. Proportional representation seems to be dead in the water. Expatriate voting in overseas embassies may also be a pipe dream at this late stage, and the same goes for … Continue reading
Qifa Nabki 
And the people say…