March 8 Alliance تحالف 8 آذار | |
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| Founded | 8 March 2005; 20 years ago (8 March 2005) |
| Ideology | Anti-Zionism Pro-Syria(until 2024) Factions: Arab socialism Syrian nationalism Arab nationalism Shia Islamism Neo-Ba'athism Christian democracy Social democracy Pro-Iran SunniAnti-Salafism |
| Political position | Big tent Factions: Left wing |
| Colors | Orange, white |
| Parliament of Lebanon | 51 / 128 |
| Cabinet of Lebanon | 5 / 24 |
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| Amal Movement |
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TheMarch 8 Alliance (Arabic:تحالف 8 آذار,romanized: taḥāluf 8 āḏār) is a loose coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon formed in 2005 that are united by their pro-Ba'athist Syria[1] stance and their opposition to the formerMarch 14 Alliance. It was the ruling coalition in Lebanon with the government headed by Prime MinisterNajib Mikati from June 2011 until March 2013.[2] Main parties of the March 8 Alliance are part of thethird Cabinet of Najib Mikati since 2021.[3]
The name dates back to 8 March 2005 when different parties called for a mass demonstration in downtownBeirut in response to theCedar Revolution.[4] The demonstration thankedSyria for helping stop theLebanese Civil War and the aid in stabilising Lebanon and supporting the Lebanese resistance to theIsraeli occupation.[5] TheFree Patriotic Movement led byMichel Aoun eventually joined the rival March 8 Alliance, becoming one of its principal coalition partners.
TheFree Patriotic Movement (FPM) was the basis of theMarch 14 Alliance movement. FPM launched the Liberation War against the Syrian Army on 14 March 1989 and participated in all demonstrations against the Syrian occupation until theCedar Revolution's mass demonstration on 14 March 2005.[6] The FPM split from the March 14 Alliance on 6 February 2006, when its leaderMichel Aoun signed amemorandum of understanding withHezbollah.[7] The FPM considered its project against theSyrian government completed when theSyrian Army left Lebanon at the end of April 2005.[8]
TheProgressive Socialist Party left the March 14 alliance in January 2011 after being one of its cornerstones and ostensibly aligned itself with the alliance'sChange and Reform bloc afterWalid Jumblatt visited Damascus. This move gave the alliance and its partners a majority in the parliament, enabling them to nameNajib Mikati as prime minister to form theLebanese government of June 2011.[9]
The government led by March 8 Alliance survived 22 months until Mikati's resignation on 23 March 2013.[10]
After a presidential vacuum that lasted from 23 April 2014 until 31 October 2016, the Parliament was able to elect MP and former General Michel Aoun, who in turn nominated March 14 memberSaad Hariri as Prime Minister.
The alliance emerged victorious as they gathered 76 seats out of 128 (60%), in the first legislative elections since 2009.
The Alliance had 18 out of 30 ministers (60%) in theLebanese Cabinet; it was equally represented in both parliament and cabinet.
| Name | Party | Portfolio (Ministry) | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elias Bou Saab | Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Defense | Greek Orthodox |
| Gebran Bassil | Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Exterior and Expatriates | Maronite |
| Saleh Gharib | Lebanese Democratic Party | State Minister for Refugees Affairs | Druze |
| Ghassan Atallah | Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Displaced | Greek Catholic |
| Nada Boustani | Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Energy and Water | Maronite |
| Avedis Guidanian | Tashnag | Minister of Tourism | Armenian Orthodox |
| Hassan Mrad | Union Party | State Minister for Foreign Trade | Sunni |
| Albert Serhan | Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Justice | Greek Orthodox |
| Salim Jreissati | Free Patriotic Movement | State Minister for Presidential Affairs | Greek Catholic |
| Mansour Bteich | Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Economy and Trade | Maronite |
| Fadi Jreissati | Free Patriotic Movement | Minister of Environment | Greek Catholic |
| Youssef Finianos | Marada Movement | Minister of Public Works and Transport | Maronite |
| Ali Hassan Khalil | Amal Movement | Minister of Finance | Shia |
| Muhammad Daoud | Amal Movement | Minister of Culture | Shia |
| Hassan Lakkis | Amal Movement | Minister of Agriculture | Shia |
| Jamil Jabak | Independent | Minister of Public Health | Shia |
| Muhammad Fneish | Hezbollah | Minister of Youth and Sports | Shia |
| Mahmoud Kmati | Hezbollah | State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs | Shia |
The Alliance has 16 out of 24 ministers (66%) in the currentLebanese Cabinet; it is equally represented in both parliament and cabinet.
The alliance gathered 61 seats out of 128 (47%) and lost their parliamentary majority but still won theParliament speaker election.[11]
The 2022Strong Lebanon bloc was formed by FPM (17), Tashnaq (3) and Akkar MP Mohamad Yehya.[12]
It currently holds roughly 51 of 128 seats in the parliament after the2022 elections and consists of:[13][14]
Former or inactive members
| Ministers (24) |
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| National Assembly (128) |
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