Chehabism (; also spelt Shehabism) is a political ideology in Lebanon which follows the principals of former president and army general Fouad Chehab and Arab nationalism. The ideology later influenced the presidency of Charles Helou and Élias Serkis.

Development

1958-1963

Fouad Chehab's presidency was a delicate balancing act of maintaining relative harmony between the nation's

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

and Muslim populations. He followed the path and principles of dialogue and moderation coupled with public reforms, which came to be known as Chehabism. Chehab is credited with a number of reform plans and regulations to create a modern administration and efficient public services especially after the 1958 Lebanon crisis. That eventually brought him into conflict with the traditional feudal, confessional, and clan-based politicians, who saw their grip on power diminishing. The alliance between Chehab and Lebanese prime minister

Rashid Karami Rashid Abdul Hamid Karami (30 December 1921 – 1 June 1987) ( ar, رشيد كرامي) was a Lebanese statesman. He is considered one of the most important political figures in Lebanon for more than 30 years, including during much of the Lebanes ...

, a staunch

Arab nationalist Arab nationalism ( ar, القومية العربية, al-Qawmīya al-ʿArabīya) is a nationalist ideology that asserts the Arabs are a nation and promotes the unity of Arab people, celebrating the glories of Arab civilization, the language an ...

, soon left Karami in effective control of the Lebanese government. The most pressing issue that was first to cause problems for Helou was the Israeli diversion of the

Jordan River The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...

1964-1970

Charles Helou was elected to succeed Fouad Chehab as president by the National Assembly in 1964. The

Six-Day War The Six-Day War (, ; ar, النكسة, , or ) or June War, also known as the 1967 Arab–Israeli War or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab world, Arab states (primarily United Arab Republic, Egypt, S ...

of 1967 strained sectarian relations in Lebanon. Many

Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abra ...

wanted Lebanon to join the Arab war effort, while many Christians wished to eschew participation.

Downfall

Chehab was widely expected to contest the presidential election of 1970 but he declared that his experience in office had convinced him that the people of Lebanon were not ready to put aside traditional or feudal politics or to support him in building a modern state. He chose to endorse his protégé, Elias Sarkis, instead. In the closest and possibly most controversial presidential election in Lebanese history, the National Assembly elected Frangieh to the Presidency of the Republic on 23 September 1970. He owed his upset victory over Elias Sarkis, the official candidate of the Chehabi regime to a last minute change of mind by

Kamal Jumblatt Kamal Fouad Jumblatt ( ar, كمال فؤاد جنبلاط; 6 December 1917 – 16 March 1977) was a Lebanese politician who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. He led the National Movement during the civil war against the Lebanese Front. ...

, whose supporters in the Parliament switched their votes to Frangieh.

References

{{Reflist Political terminology in Lebanon Political ideologies

Development

1958-1963

1964-1970

Downfall

See also

References