2009 Lebanese general election
# 2009 Lebanese general election

Parliamentary elections were held in Lebanon on 7 June 2009 to elect all 128 members of the Parliament of Lebanon.

## Background

Before the election, the voting age was to be lowered from 21 to 18 years, but as this requires a constitutional amendment, it did not happen before the election.

## Allocation of seats

Following a compromise reached in the Doha Agreement in May 2008 between the government and opposition, a new electoral law was put in place, as shown in the table below. It was passed on 29 September 2008.

| Seat allocation according to The Doha Agreement | Seat allocation according to The Doha Agreement | Seats | Maronite | Shia | Sunni | Greek Orthodox | Druze | Armenian Orthodox | Greek Catholic | Alawite | Evangelical | Minorities | 14 March | 8 March |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Beirut 19 | Beirut 1 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Beirut 19 | Beirut 2 | 4 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Beirut 19 | Beirut 3 | 10 | - | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Bekaa 23 | Baalbek +Hermel | 10 | 1 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 0 | 10 |
| Bekaa 23 | Zahleh | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 7 | 0 |
| Bekaa 23 | Rashaya +West Bekaa | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 0 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Jbeil | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 3 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Kisrawan | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 5 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | North Metn | 8 | 4 | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 6 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Baabda | 6 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 6 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Aley | 5 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 1 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Chouf | 8 | 3 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 8 | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Akkar | 7 | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 7 | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Dinniyeh +Minieh | 3 | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Bsharreh | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Tripoli | 8 | 1 | - | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 8 | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Zgharta | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 3 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Koura | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Batroun | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Saida | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Tyre | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 4 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Zahrani | 3 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 0 | 3 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Hasbaya +Marjeyoun | 5 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 5 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Nabatiyeh | 3 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 3 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Bint Jbeil | 3 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 3 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Jezzine | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 0 | 3 |
| Total 128 | Total 128 | 128 | 34 | 27 | 27 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 71 | 57 |

## Results

Preliminary results indicated that the turnout had been as high as 55%. The March 14 Alliance garnered 71 seats in the 128-member parliament, while the March 8 Alliance won 57 seats. This result is virtually the same as the result from the election in 2005. However, the March 14 alliance saw this as a moral victory over Hezbollah, who led the March 8 Alliance, and the balance of power was expected to shift in its favor. Many observers expect to see the emergence of a National Unity Government similar to that created following the Doha Agreement in 2008.

| Election Results for each alliance | Election Results for each alliance | Total | % 14M | 14 March | % 8M | 8 March |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Beirut 19 | Beirut 1 | 5 | 52.1% | 5 | 47.9% | 0 |
| Beirut 19 | Beirut 2 | 4 | 50.5% | 2 | 49.5% | 2 |
| Beirut 19 | Beirut 3 | 10 | 69.6% | 10 | 31.4% | 0 |
| Bekaa 23 | Baalbek +Hermel | 10 | 21.6% | 0 | 78.4% | 10 |
| Bekaa 23 | Zahleh | 7 | 52.7% | 7 | 47.3% | 0 |
| Bekaa 23 | Rashaya +West Bekaa | 6 | 53.3% | 6 | 46.7% | 0 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Jbeil | 3 | 28.6% | 0 | 71.4% | 3 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Kisrawan | 5 | 30.9% | 0 | 69.1% | 5 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | North Metn | 8 | 42.4% | 2 | 58.6% | 6 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Baabda | 6 | 41.8% | 0 | 58.2% | 6 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Aley | 5 | 60.2% | 4 | 39.8% | 1 |
| Mount Lebanon 35 | Chouf | 8 | 69.6% | 8 | 30.4% | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Akkar | 7 | 61.1% | 7 | 38.9% | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Dinniyeh +Minnieh | 3 | 70.9% | 3 | 29.1% | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Bsharreh | 2 | 71.4% | 2 | 28.6% | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Tripoli | 8 | 63.5% | 8 | 36.5% | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Zgharta | 3 | 44.2% | 0 | 55.8% | 3 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Koura | 3 | 51.1% | 3 | 48.9% | 0 |
| North Lebanon 28 | Batroun | 2 | 50.2% | 2 | 49.8% | 0 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Saida | 2 | 63.9% | 2 | 36.1% | 0 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Tyre | 4 | 06.8% | 0 | 93.2% | 4 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Zahrani | 3 | 10.0% | 0 | 90.0% | 3 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Hasbaya +Marjeyoun | 5 | 21.4% | 0 | 78.6% | 5 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Nabatiyeh | 3 | 11.6% | 0 | 88.4% | 3 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Bint Jbeil | 3 | 05.8% | 0 | 94.2% | 3 |
| South Lebanon 23 | Jezzine | 3 | 25.5% | 0 | 74.5% | 3 |
| Total 128 | Total 128 | 128 | 55.5% | 71 | 44.5% | 57 |

### By party after the designation of Najib Mikati in January 2011

Parliament composition in june 2011 Lebanese Parliament election results :

| Alliances | Seats | Parties | Seats |
| - | - | - | - |
| Government 68 | 27 | Change and Reform bloc | Change and Reform bloc |
| Government 68 | 27 | Free Patriotic Movement (Tayyar Al-Watani Al-Horr) | 19 |
| Government 68 | 27 | Lebanese Democratic Party (Hizb al-democraty al-lubnany) | 2 |
| Government 68 | 27 | Marada Movement | 3 |
| Government 68 | 27 | Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Tashnag) | 2 |
| Government 68 | 27 | Solidarity Party (Hizb Al-Tadamon Al-Lubnany) | 1 |
| Government 68 | 30 | March 8 Alliance | March 8 Alliance |
| Government 68 | 30 | Amal Movement (Harakat Amal) | 13 |
| Government 68 | 30 | Loyalty to the Resistance (Hezbollah) | 13 |
| Government 68 | 30 | Syrian Social Nationalist Party (al-Hizb al-Qawmi al-souri al ijtima'i) | 2 |
| Government 68 | 30 | Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party | 2 |
| Government 68 | 11 | Pro-Government Independents | Pro-Government Independents |
| Government 68 | 11 | Progressive Socialist Party | 7 |
| Government 68 | 11 | Glory Movement | 2 |
| Government 68 | 11 | Safadi Bloc | 2 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | March 14 Alliance | March 14 Alliance |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Future Movement (Tayyar Al Mustaqbal) | 29 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Lebanese Forces (al-Quwāt al-Lubnāniyya) | 8 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Kataeb Party (Hizb al-Kataeb) | 5 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Murr Bloc | 2 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (Social Democrat Hunchakian Party) | 2 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Islamic Group (Jamaa al-Islamiya) | 1 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar Party) | 1 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Democratic Left Movement (ĥarakatu-l-yasāri-d-dimuqrātī) | 1 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | National Liberal Party (Hizbu-l-waTaniyyīni-l-aHrār) | 1 |
| Opposition 60 | 60 | Independents (including ex-PSP) | 10 |
| – | – | Total | 128 |

Source

## Formation of government

As is typical of Lebanese politics political wrangling after the elections took 5 months. Only in November was the composition of the new cabinet agreed upon: 15 seats for the March 14 Alliance, 10 for the March 8 Alliance, and 5 nominated by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, who has cast himself as a neutral party between the two main political blocks.

## Aftermath

The government fell in January 2011 after the March 8 alliance's 11 ministers withdrew from the government over PM Hariri's refusal to convene a cabinet meeting to discuss possible indictments to be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

The March 8 alliance formed a new government in the ensuing six months.

