Members of the secular and progressive groups in Lebanon who joined forces, July 14, 2024. (Credit: Karim Safieddine)
BEIRUT— "We are people who tried. We struggled behind the scenes, without any authoritarian or material benefit. We were active and contributed, we made mistakes and overcame, we joined many groups, we stuck to some of them and left others," states the premise of the political manifesto of a new movement of secular and progressive movements in Lebanon who have joined forces.
The group announced its unity on Sunday in Station Beirut, a venue that hosts progressive cultural events in Lebanon's capital. They described their movement as "under construction" and noted that their convergence was the result of "one year and a half" of efforts.
The emerging secular progressive movement includes Mada Network — a political network and movement constituting of secular clubs in universities, regions, and syndicates — and the main founders of Shamaluna, an alliance of independent groups in North Lebanon,
The movement also includes Sahluna wal Jabal coalition, an electoral campaign that participated in the 2022 parliamentary elections in the Bekaa, other secular clubs and other progressive formations and individuals who were previously part of other alternative movements and electoral campaigns spanning Beirut and South Lebanon.
The idea of the movement emerged following the parliamentary elections, when these groups began dialogues to potentially align, said Karim Safieddine, one of the movement's coordinators and a Mada member, to L'Orient Today.
"Our goal was to birth a balanced and ambitious political movement that can boldly present itself in the political arena," said Safieddine, who formerly served as president of the secular club at the American University of Beirut and is a coordinator with Mada Network. Safieddine is also a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, United States.
Local political views of the movement
"For us, the confessional system has long expired and we are focused on seizing every opportunity toward a secular democratic system," Safieddine said.
"We support reforms that improve daily life and contribute to the revolutionary path and democratic change, and we reject formal reforms that reproduce systems and strengthen the privileged," the manifesto read.
The manifesto outlines the coalition's roots in various political movements: the struggle against Syrian Baathist guardianship during Syria's civil war, against political neoliberal reconstruction, and against Israeli occupation in Lebanon. It references pivotal moments such as the Arab Spring and movements to overthrow the sectarian regime, as well as the "You Stink" movement during the 2015 garbage crisis and the and "All Means All" protests during the Oct. 2019 uprising.
On the topic of Hezbollah, Safieddine said, "This issue is decisive, especially in light of Hezbollah's obstruction to the democratic way." He criticized Hezbollah for its "protection" of the banking and financial system, its "intervention" in Syria, and its "obstruction" of a national consensus on strategic decisions regarding southern Lebanon.
Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah has traded near-daily cross-border fire with the Israeli army in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas.
'A new market and economic system' in Lebanon
On the economic front, Safieddine emphasized the need for an "update" to the system.
"All the issues we have been discussing since 2019, including the capital control and bank restructuring, need change," he said. "We must envision a new economic system and market by envisioning a new, socially just, economic system which prioritizes the rights of the marginalized."
One of the manifesto's objectives discussed "establish[ing] clear competency-based criteria for employment in the public sector, and conduct[ing] competitions to select the most qualified job applicants. In addition to ensuring social diversity in public administrations to ensure a healthy and inclusive work environment."
Taxation is also addressed. The movement aspires to adopt "radical tax amendments that begin with approving a progressive tax on income, in addition to imposing taxes on profits made in sectors to which facilities were granted by successive governments and parliaments from the 1990s until today."
Lebanon has been grappling with a severe and prolonged economic crisis since late 2019, marked by a sharp devaluation of the Lebanese pound, hyperinflation, shortages of essential goods and services, high unemployment, and the collapse of the banking system.
The roots of the crisis can be traced to decades of governmental mismanagement, corruption, and unsustainable fiscal policies that resulted in a heavy public debt burden.
Vision of regional politics
On the regional level, the movement rejects "all axes, whether the American or the Iranian."
"We need to develop a secular progressive democratic line on the level of the entire region and to network with groups and movements who [regionally] launched important uprisings in 2011 and 2019," Safieddine said.
"Solidarity is a key component of our political philosophy," he added. "Historically, intellectuals and organizers, who believed in democracy for all people, such as the late Samir Kassir, stressed on the direct link between the issue of Syria's democracy, the independence of Lebanon, and the freedom of Palestine, and we want to develop and build upon that idea."
Samir Kassir, a Lebanese-Palestinian journalist assassinated in 2005, advocated for democracy and vehemently opposed Syrian occupation of Lebanon.