Lebanon is a

parliamentary democracy A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...

within an overall confessionalist framework; as a form of

consociationalism Consociationalism ( ) is a form of democratic power sharing. Political scientists define a consociational state as one which has major internal divisions along ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines, but which remains stable due to consultation a ...

, the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives from religious communities. However, increasing numbers of Lebanese organize against this confessionalist system and for

secularism Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on secular, naturalistic considerations. Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state, and may be broadened to a si ...

in the national government. In April 2010, Laïque Pride, a secular group co-founded by feminist Yalda Younes, called for "an end to the country's deep-rooted sectarian system" and for a "secular Lebanon". Laïque Pride supports the enacting of a unified Civil Code for the Personal Status Law. On April 26, 2010, in response to

Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir (Arabicحزب التحرير (Translation: Party of Liberation) is an international, political organization which describes its ideology as Islam, and its aim the re-establishment of the Islamic Khilafah (Caliphate) to resume Isl ...

's growing appeal in Beirut and demands to re-establish an Islamic caliphate, a Laïque Pride march was held in

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

. Three days later, 70,000 gathered in

Martyrs' Square, Beirut Martyrs' Square ( ; french: Place des Martyrs), historically known as "Al Burj" or "Place des Cannons", is the historical central public square of Beirut, Lebanon. Like the Marjeh Square, Martyr's Square in Damascus, it is named after the Marty ...

for a march organized by Laïque Pride. In 2011, hundreds of protesters rallied in Beirut on 27 February in a Laïque Pride march, calling for reform of the country's

confessional A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall in which the priest in some Christian churches sits to hear the confessions of penitents. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Churches, but si ...

political system In political science, a political system means the type of political organization that can be recognized, observed or otherwise declared by a state. It defines the process for making official government decisions. It usually comprizes the govern ...

. At the same time, a peaceful sit-in took place in Saida. At a march in May 2012 in which 600 participated, Laïque Pride issued six demands, four concerning women's rights and two concerning media freedom. Secular student clubs from

Saint Joseph University Saint Joseph University of Beirut (French: ''Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth'', abbreviated to and commonly known as "USJ") is a private Catholic research university located in Beirut, Lebanon, which was founded in 1875 by French Jesuit mis ...

(USJ), the

Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts The Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA; french: Académie libanaise des Beaux-Arts; ar, الأكاديمية اللبنانية للفنون الجميلة) was originally a stand-alone Lebanese Lebanese may refer to: * Something of, from, or r ...

(ALBA), as the American University of Beirut (AUB) also participated in the march.

Student organizations

Student organizations have paid a key role in secular movements in Lebanon, particularly those at the American University of Beirut. One such secular origination is the Secular Club, a

progressive Progressive may refer to: Politics * Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform ** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context * Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...

student organization established after the 2008 conflict. According to former club president Joumana Talhouk, the goal of the club is "to create a political space where people from different social and sectarian backgrounds can unite under common principles". Another organization is the

far-left Far-left politics, also known as the radical left or the extreme left, are politics further to the left on the left–right political spectrum than the standard political left. The term does not have a single definition. Some scholars consider ...

Red Oak Club. According to former president Theresa Sahyoun, the Red Oak Club and the Secular Club managed to find common ground and endorse the August 2016 Martyrs' Square protest.

References

{{Asia topic, Secularism in

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

Social history of Lebanon

Student organizations

See also

References