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Lojine Kamel

IIRC Poll: 51% of Lebanese Support Civil Marriage

A survey conducted by the International Information Research Center in Beirut found that 51% of Lebanese are in favor of civil marriage becoming a legal option in Lebanon.

It’s important to note, however, that of this number, 33% prefer both civil and religious marriage as options, and 18% prefer only civil.

Meanwhile, 46% of the people polled say they are completely against civil marriage. Here’s a breakdown of that number according to religious affiliation:

–66% of Sunnis
–60% of Christian minorities, including Chaldean, Assyrian and Coptic Orthodox
–55% of Shiites
–50% of Alawites
–41% of Orthodox
–30% of Druze
–28% of Maronites
–22% of Catholics
–20% of Armenians
–3% – no opinion

A total of 42% of those polled were against Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani’s fatwa prohibiting civil unions in Islam, while 26% were with it, and 22% indifferent.

In late January, the Justice Ministry rejected a request by a Lebanese couple to recognize their marriage as civil. There is no law which regulates civil marriage in Lebanon. Civil weddings are only recognized if conducted abroad.

The survey, which polled 500 Lebanese citizens, was taken over two days—January 29 and 30—and, according to L’Orient Le Jour, included Lebanese people of all faiths aged 18 and older.