What are Lebanon’s most important political parties?

Hezbollah is the most prominent of Lebanon’s political movements, and has long been the most powerful in the country.

Its current battle with Israel means it has a huge say in the future of the country, but also places it at the centre of a debate with other political groups in Lebanon, many of whom feel that Hezbollah should be subservient to the state.

Lebanon’s sectarian divides are reflected in the large number of political movements it harbours, and the difficulty any government has in forming a strong power centre that will enable the country to overcome the various political, security, and economic crises it faces.

Here is a closer look at some of Lebanon’s most important political movements.

Led by Secretary-General Naim Qassem, Hezbollah was formed in 1982 during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) and subsequent Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon (1982-2000). Since its inception, Hezbollah has been funded by the Islamic Republic of Iran and has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Originally an offshoot of the Amal Movement, Hezbollah grew to become the most powerful party – politically and militarily – in Lebanon. It is a religiously conservative Shia Muslim party that, like many parties or political leaders, also provides social services in the absence of the Lebanese state.

Hezbollah was the only militia not to officially disarm at the end of the civil war, arguing that it needed to maintain arms to oppose Israel’s then occupation of southern Lebanon. In 2000, it secured its most important win, as it was a key actor in expelling Israel from Lebanese territory.

But Hezbollah retained its weapons and fought a notable war against Israel in 2006, as well as since October 2023, when it launched attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.