Qifa Nabki
deconfessionalism
Will Civil Marriage End Confessionalism in Lebanon?
I’ve written an essay for Jadaliyya that explores the long-term political implications of implementing civil marriage in Lebanon. As it currently stands, the wedding between Nidal Darwish and Khulud Sukkariyyeh has been rejected by the Lebanese government, even though the civil society organization that orchestrated the marriage had allegedly received assurances in the past from … 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
Palestinian Rights in Lebanon: Reform on the Way?
Contrary to what many reported immediately after the fact, the debate in the Lebanese Parliament last Tuesday over the issue of Palestinian rights did not slam the door on any potential future reforms. True, no law was passed. But the outcome — a decision to send the draft laws to a review committee and bring … Continue reading
Electoral Districts in Lebanon
In the spirit of all the recent discussion about secularism and deconfessionalism in Lebanon, I thought I’d write a post that approached the issue of electoral districting. What’s the connection between electoral districting and abolishing confessionalism, you ask? Grab a chair… As most of us know, the ratio of voters to members of parliament varies … Continue reading
Lebanon’s Confused Secularism
Hi folks. I’ve written a brief piece about tomorrow’s secularism march for The Guardian’s “Comment is Free” section. Feel free to comment either there or here. Who, by the way, is going? Anyone? Can someone do me a solid and take some pictures?
And the people say…