Strong Republic (Lebanon)
Lebanese political bloc
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Strong Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية القوية) is the parliamentary bloc of the Lebanese Forces in the Lebanese Parliament. It is headed by member of parliament and vice president of the Lebanese Forces party Georges Adwan. The bloc has been made up of 19 MPs since the 2022 general election making it the largest bloc in the Lebanese Parliament.[1]
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National Liberal Party
Strong Republic الجمهورية القوية | |
|---|---|
| |
| Legislature(s) | Parliament of Lebanon |
| Foundation | 21 June 2005 |
| Member parties | Lebanese Forces National Liberal Party |
| President | Samir Geagea |
| Constituency | |
| General secretary | Emile Moukarzel |
| Representation | 19 / 128 (15%) |
| Ideology | Sovereigntism Nationalism |
| Website | The Strong Republic Bloc official page |
Election summary
2005–2009 session deputies
| Name | Election Area | Political Affiliation | Sect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farid Habib | Koura | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Antoine Zahra | Batroun | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Sethrida Tawk | Bsharri | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Elie Keyrouz | Bsharri | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Georges Adwan | Chouf | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Edmond Naim | Baabda | Independent | Maronite |
2009–2018 session deputies
| Name | Election Area | Political Affiliation | Sect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farid Habib | Koura | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Antoine Zahra | Batroun | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Sethrida Geagea | Bsharri | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Elie Keyrouz | Bsharri | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Georges Adwan | Chouf | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Tony Abou Khater | Zahle | Lebanese Forces | Greek Catholic |
| Shant Chinchinian | Zahle | Lebanese Forces | Armenian Orthodox |
| Joseph Maalouf | Zahle | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
2018–2022 session deputies
| Name | Election Area | Political Affiliation | Sect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imad Wakim | Beirut I | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Wehbe Katicha | Akkar | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Fady Saad | Batroun | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Sethrida Tawk | Bsharri | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Joseph Ishac | Bsharri | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Ziad Hawat | Byblos | Independent | Maronite |
| Chawki Daccache | Keserwan | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Eddy Abillammaa | Metn | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Pierre Bou Assi | Baabda | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Anis Nassar | Aley | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Georges Adwan | Chouf | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Georges Okeis | Zahle | Lebanese Forces | Greek Catholic |
| Antoine Habchi | Baalbeck Hermel | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
Expelled in October 2020 |
Beirut I | Independent | Armenian Catholic |
Expelled in August 2021 |
Zahle | Independent | Greek Orthodox |
2022–2026 session deputies
| Name | Election Area | Political Affiliation | Sect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghassan Hasbani | Beirut 1 | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Jihad Pakradouni | Beirut 1 | Independent | Armenian Orthodox |
| Elias Khoury | North 2 - Tripoli | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Fadi Karam | North 3 - Koura | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Sethrida Geagea | North 3 - Bsharri | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Ghayath Yazbeck | North 3 - Batroun | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Ziad Hawat | Mount Lebanon 1 - Jbeil | Independent | Maronite |
| Chawki Daccache | Mount Lebanon 1 - Kesserwan | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Melhem Riachy | Mount Lebanon 2 - Metn | Lebanese Forces | Greek Catholic |
| Razi El Hage | Mount Lebanon 2 - Metn | Independent | Maronite |
| Pierre Bou Assi | Mount Lebanon 3 - Baabda | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Camille Dory Chamoun | Mount Lebanon 3 - Baabda | National Liberal Party | Maronite |
| Nazih Matta | Mount Lebanon 4 - Aley | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Georges Adwan | Mount Lebanon 4 - Chouf | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Ghada Ayoub | South 1 - Jezzine | Independent | Greek Catholic |
| Said Asmar | South 1 - Jezzine | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Elias Estephan | Bekaa 1 - Zahle | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Georges Okais | Bekaa 1 - Zahle | Lebanese Forces | Greek Catholic |
| Antoine Habchi | Bekaa 3 - Baalbek-Hermel | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
List of draft laws proposed in parliament
| Date | MP | Name | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02-06-2012 | Elie Keyrouz | abolish death penalty in Lebanon | The death penalty should be eliminated in all instances within Lebanese legislation, particularly in the Penal Code and the Military Penal Code. Instead, it should be substituted with the punishment of life imprisonment with hard labor or life imprisonment, depending on the nature and circumstances of the committed crime.[2] |
| 29-07-2016 | Elie Keyrouz | abolish Lebanese rape-marriage law Article 522 | Introducing a law to abolish Article 522 of the Lebanese Penal Code, which allows the perpetrator of crimes of assault on honor to escape prosecution if he marries the victim.[3] |
| 02-08-2023 | Melhem Riachi, Georges Okeis | Legalize optional civil marriage in Lebanon | The couple is free to choose any municipality for their marriage ceremony, as long as the municipality has at least 15 members. Their marriage will be legally recognized and governed by the court within the same jurisdiction. Non-Lebanese have the right to contract a civil marriage on Lebanese territory in accordance with this law.[4] |
Bloc events summary
2005 Bloc
The bloc refused to vote for Nabih Berri in the 2005 Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament election.[5]
On 23 January 2006, MP Edmond Naim died.[6]
2009 Bloc
The bloc refused to vote for Nabih Berri in the 2009 Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament election.[7]
On May 31, 2012, MP Farid Habib died.[8]
On July 15, 2012, LF candidate Fadi Karam won the by-elections to fill the seat of late Farid Habib.[9]
On April 4, 2014, the bloc nominated party leader Samir Geagea for the 2014 Lebanese presidential election.[10]
In 2016, the bloc proposed a law that protects women and other family members from domestic violence.[11]
2018 Bloc
Members of the bloc refused to vote for Nabih Berri in the 2018 Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament election for the exception of Cesar Maalouf who was later expelled from the bloc on August 20, 2021.[12][13]
On August 31, 2020, the Strong Republic bloc named Nawaf Salam to form the government as Prime Minister.[14]
On October 22, 2020, MP Jean Talouzian was expelled from the bloc when he nominated Saad Hariri to be elected as Prime Minister unlike the rest of the Strong Republic bloc.[15]
2022 Bloc
The bloc refused to vote for Nabih Berri in the 2022 Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament election,[16] and had its MPs write "the strong republic" on their papers.[17]
On July 19, 2022, MP Razi El-Hage proposed a law to adopt the majority system in municipal elections.[18]
On September 14, 2022, LF boycotted the parliament session due to the memorial of Bachir Gemayel‘s assassination.[19]
The Strong Republic bloc initially endorsed Michel Moawad for the 2022–2025 Lebanese presidential election.[20] The bloc's second endorsement was Jihad Azour.[21]