You call this an election?

With the unfolding of events, and the advent of the electoral law and alliances, I became very demoralized, which might explain the delays between my posts.

What made matter worse, was the assassination of the brilliant intellectual and the staunch Anti-Syrian journalist Samir Qassir. For, after the big protests of 14 March, I, and many others thought that our political situation will undergo a major overhaul, and Lebanon will start its long climb towards democracy. I was wrong.

Because, our “esteemed” politicians – and here I stress ALL, politicians – had others plans in mind. They decided to sell us short, for a few seats in the parliament.

The 2000 electoral law was used again. A law made and forced in by the Ghazi Kanan the former head of Syrian military intelligence – the "current" one, Rustem Ghazali, was booted out of Lebanon a few weeks ago- a gerrymandering law that makes sure that in each region a single faction will be able to controll all the seats.

And it came to be that the same four parliamentary blocs that controlled the parliament from 2000 to 2005, shall dominate the new one, with slightly changed proportions.

The four parliamentary blocs are: Nabih Berri's( a Shiite warlord, best know for his corruption), Hezbollah's, Walide Joumblatt's (a Druze warlord), and Hariri’s ( now headed by Saad Hariri, the son of the assassinated Prime Minister Rafic Hariri) see previous posts for more information about the assassination

Of course other groups and factions will be represented in the new parliament but their numbers will pale in comparison to the four big ones.

After all what happened from the death of Hariri to the great uprising of March the 14th, it seems that we are back to square two! Two not one! Because, we are no longer under the Syrian yoke, and that is quite an achievement, but we still have much more to do.

To be continued, with more on the electoral alliances and the composition of the new parliament…