event
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Cutting the Gordian Knot of Lebanon’s Power-Sharing System

Tue. September 8th, 2020
YouTube @CarnegieMENA

While September 2020 marks 100 years since the Proclamation of the State of Greater Lebanon, the country today is plagued by a myriad of crises. This may prove a critical inflection point for Lebanon as a whole. The Carnegie Middle East Center and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung are hosting a four-part series of panel discussions, which will look at where Lebanon stands on its Centennial, as well as the opportunities and challenges for the new century.  

Lebanon’s current power-sharing system, a product of the 1989 Taif Accord that brought an end to the country’s fifteen-year civil war, has proven to be the greatest hinderance to good governance. Indeed, the confessional system was never intended to become a permanent model for the country. With Lebanon now at its breaking point, calls for a new political model, federalism, and decentralization are mounting.  

Join us on Tuesday, September 08 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Beirut (GMT+3) for this first panel discussion on Lebanon’s political model with Joseph Bahout, Carmen Geha, Jean Kassir, and Maha Yahya, moderated by Liz Sly. The event will be held in English. Viewers may submit their questions via the Live Chat feature on YouTube during the livestream.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Joseph Bahout

Nonresident Fellow, Middle East Program

Joseph Bahout was a nonresident fellow in Carnegie’s Middle East Program. His research focuses on political developments in Lebanon and Syria, regional spillover from the Syrian crisis, and identity politics across the region.

Carmen Geha

Carmen Geha is an associate professor of Public Administration, Leadership, and Organizational Development at the American University of Beirut.

Jean Kassir

Jean Kassir is the co-founder and managing editor of Megaphone, a Beirut-based independent media platform.

Liz Sly

Liz Sly is the Washington Post's Beirut bureau chief, covering Lebanon, Syria and the wider region.

Maha Yahya

Director, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Yahya is director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.