Lebanon: Protesting Against Confessionalism

On Sunday, hundreds of people rallied in Beirut to protest the country’s complicated power-sharing confessional system which divides political power amongst the country’s 18 different religious sects.  The protesters called for a civil-secular state that guarantees religious diversity and social justice.  Many, including some of the protesters at the rally, blame the current political system as the root cause of corruption and violence in Lebanon.  One counter demonstrator however questioned the abandonment of the confessional system asking: “How can I be sure that my group enjoys full rights if the system is removed?”