DOHA: Lebanon is unique in the world, in the light of its congruent democracy and continuous recourse to dialogue meetings held locally and internationally, according to Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament.
Delivering a lecture at the Education City last week, Berri pointed to talks held in Lausanne, Saint-Cloud, Taif and Doha, as key examples of the operations of a congruent democracy in Lebanon.
The lecture was hosted by the Center for International and Regional Studies at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. Berri, an advocate of the March 8 Alliance in Lebanon, is also the head of the Shia Muslim Amal Movement.
He thanked the Emir H H Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Prime Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani for Qatar's key mediatory role between rival Lebanese political factions, which ultimately led to the resolution of Lebanon's political deadlock earlier this year via the Doha Agreement.
Berri said the deal has been implemented effectively, pointing to the election of a president, the approval of the constitution by all parliamentary members and the formation of a national unity government. He extended gratitude to Qatar for its help with the reconstruction of Lebanon following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. He also invited further assistance to clear the 2.4 million cluster bombs that remain scattered throughout Southern Lebanon.
Berri's address provided a theoretical overview of the basis and key characteristics of a "congruent democracy" as distinct from other forms of democracy, as well as a practical account of its realisation in Lebanon. Congruent democracy emanates and develops in situations of weak national unification and a divided, heterogeneous population. The most important characteristic of a congruent democracy is the element of ruling through a large coalition such as a national unity government.
The speaker explained that the congruence culture, while evolving to better reflect the socio-political changes of its time, "has always been rooted in the minds of the Lebanese nationals." As distinct from an inevitably unsuccessful export product, he stressed the importance of a "home-made and national democracy which must be consistent with the nature and hopes of its people."
Berri concluded that his country's culture of congruence, regardless of its results, constitutes the "security and safety valve of Lebanon's political system." As such, the lacking ingredient in Lebanon is not the recognition of congruent democracy per se, but the need to observe and respect the principle.
© The Peninsula 2008
