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Ploughshare politics - The future of Hizbullah's militia
By Nicholas Blanford
23 June 2009
Members of the Islamic Resistance carry Hizbullah flags as they parade during the annual rally to mark Al-Quds Day in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon,on 28 October 2005. As well as maintaining a military force, Hizbullah maintains social and political influence, with all 11 of the group’s candidates winning seats in the June parliamentary elections. (PA)
Hizbullah's performance in Lebanon's parliamentary elections on 7 June showed it will remain a major actor within the country's political scene.
Although the March 8 alliance of which Hizbullah is a member lost the election, securing 57 seats out of a total 128, Hizbullah's 11 candidates all won their seats. This is fewer than the 14 seats it held before the election as Hizbullah chose not to run in three constituencies to give allies a chance to win. Nonetheless the results reflect its continued political, as well as social, influence, which have provoked domestic debate regarding Hizbullah's role, raising questions about its ability to carry arms and operate independently of the country's formal military structures.
This debate mirrors the options facing Hizbullah. If it so wished, it could transition into a formal political party, with its military wing either disarming or being assimilated into the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). On the other hand, maintaining its military wing will increasingly point to the incongruous nature of its dual role in Lebanese society and continue to provoke international criticism.