It's the same old sectarian system—but without the Syrians

Can the Lebanese choose their leaders by merit rather than religious affiliation? Not yet—but quite a lot of them want to start trying

May 26th 2005|BEIRUT

IN THE game of backgammon, the aim is to move your pieces past your opponent, who can block you by massing his own chips in their path. Until last month, Syria had much this effect on Lebanon, its troops and influence trapping politics inside a single quadrant of the country's intricate board. Most of Syria's chips have now been swept away by a mix of people power and outside pressure. Yet to many Lebanese, their politics still looks blocked. Most of the obstacles are sectarian.

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “It's the same old sectarian system—but without the Syrians”