Hezbollah and the Arab Spring

Abstract

The Lebanese resistance movement and political party, Hezbollah, benefited from the Arab Spring to spread its hegemony over Lebanon through democratic means. In January 2011, the party and its allies forged a majority in the parliament and formed a cabinet. The cabinet collapsed two months before Hezbollah’s overt acknowledgement of involvement in the Syrian quagmire. Since March 22, 2013, a power vacuum has been reigning in Lebanon: there is no cabinet; no functioning parliament; and no properly running institutions. This situation increased sectarian tensions, especially the Sunni–Shia divide or discord ( fitna). In spite of the relative stability of Lebanon, like the Arab uprisings, the country lacks a clear ideological vision, unified leadership, and has serious problems with institutionalization and constitutionalism.