This page will attempt to provide a historical analysis of the Democratic Party
that Emile Bitar co-founded in 1969 and presided after his ministerial term.
We will retrace the foundation of the party, its core beliefs, its achievements,
and the reasons why the party freezed its activities at the beginning of the Lebanese War.
Press conference at Democratic Party Headquarters |
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Bassem El Jisr, Emile Bitar and Joseph Moghaizel |
A unique experiment in Lebanese politics, the Democratic Party was one the first
political organizations in Lebanon to bring together young professionals of all religious denominations, committed to modernizing
Lebanon, promote economic development, social justice and human rights.
Originally, most of its members belonged to the educated elite. However, after
Emile Bitar's experience in government and the enthusiasm his actions created, the party attracted Lebanese from all walks
of life. At the center of the political spectrum, the Democratic Party advocated national dialogue, fought against religious
fanaticism and was instrumental in defending political reforms.
The Democratic Party proposed the establishment of an optional civil marriage
in Lebanon and submitted the project to Parliament through MP Auguste Bakhos.
The party devised several comprehensive plans for health care issues, developmental
and environmental concerns, for Women's Rights and the protection of the freedom of the press and civil liberties.
When the war broke out in 1975, the members of the Party who lived in
both East and West Beirut faced difficulties and were unable to organize reunions and continue their struggle serenely. Refusing
to be used as a pawn by foreign powers, the Democratic Party put an end to its political activities. Emile Bitar and
Bassem El Jisr published an anti-war manifesto which in retrospect appears rather prophetic.
Members of the party pursued their struggle through different means. After the
war ended, a founding member of the Party, lawyer and activist Joseph Moghaizel was appointed Minister of the Environment.
Unfortunately, he passed away shortly after. Today, Bassem El Jisr is the Vice President of Nassib Lahoud's Democratic Renewal
Movement.
The core beliefs of the Democratic party :
Democracy
Human Rights
Civil and Public Liberties
Social Justice
Non Sectarianism
Free Enterprise
Modernization
More to come
Please check back later for a complete history of the Democratic Party
The seven founding members of the Democratic Party were :
Auguste Bakhos
Emile Bitar
Bassem El Jisr
Albert Mansour
Joseph Moghaizel
Sami Nassar
Hanna Zaccour
The first 100 members of the Democratic Party :
Auguste Bakhos, Emile
Bitar, Bassem El Jisr, Albert
Mansour, Joseph Moghaizel, Sami
Nassar, Hanna Zaccour
Issam Assi, Laure
Moghaizel, Farouk Abillamah, Norma
Melhem, Samia Khouzami, May
Ziadé, Antoine Abi Nader, Joyce
Ziade, George Khawwam, Maurice
Diab, Ramez Salamé, Nidal
Abou Habib, Nabil Boustany, Daoud
El Sayegh, Hyam Mallat, Roland
Bakhos, Mohammad Haydar Ahmad, Nazih
Abi Assi, Nadim Boustany, Said
Bitar, Antranik Badoyan, Mohammad
Biazeid, Joseph Baroudi, Ramzi
Tabri, Fouad Tabet, Habib
Honeine, Yehia El Hakim, Emile
Kanaan, Mounir Hamadé, Mounir
Haddad, Roger Khayyat, Michel
Boustany, Bassem Khalife, Jean
Khoury, Mohammad Amin Daouk, Joseph
Chaia, Joseph Chalouhi, Bahjat
Daou, Ibrahim Traboulsi, Youssef
Tohme, Afaf Attié, Rustom
Aouad, Semaan Karam, Boulos
Kanaan, Toufic Moawad, Said
Lawand, Nagib Nakhoul, Maroun
Labaki, Alfred Saadi, Antoine
Mehanna, Georges Josephides, Lucien
Beiruti, Fehmi Chaabane, Badri
Hamade, Nabil Mehio, Habib
Lteif, Albert Melki, Nicolas
Moghaizel, Samir Hayek, Samir
Kanaan, Amale Abou Rjeily, Abla
Diab, Samir Jamal El Dine, Aphlatoum
Hatoum, Raja Sari Eddine, Salim
Dahhan, Ali Chehade, Ibrahim
El Abdallah, Joseph Naffah, Ahmed
Stetie, Fouad Cbeklou, Mahmoud
Soueid, Emile Abi Zeid, Nicolas
Kikano, Emile Bachir, Jean
Kerillis, Ezzat Safi, Kheirallah
Ghanem, Louis Cardahi, Abdel
Aziz Kabbani, Michel Kyriakos, Ramzi
Jreige, Yaacoub Khalife, Roger
Azar, Alfred Kareh, Zaki Abou
Taaam, Abel Rahman El Labban, Adnan
Cheikha, Michel Assi, Mohammad
El Halabi, Georges Corm.
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