Middle East Information Resource
Political Entities - Progressive Socialist Party
The Progressive Socialist Party (al-Hizb al-Taqadumi al-Ishtiraki) is a Lebanese political party founded in 1949 by Kamal Junbalat. The membership is primarily Druze. The PSP has been a vehicle for Junbalat`s political ambitions, and was completely under his control. After his assassination in March 1977, his son Walid Junbalat became it`s president. Beginning in the mid-1970`s it maintained a militia of its own, which was the main fighting force on behalf of the Druze in the Civil War.
In 1991, following the end of the Civil War and the establishment of the "Government of National Reconciliation" in December 1990, most of the Lebanese militias, including that of the PSP, were dissolved. Their members joined the Lebanese administration. The PSP is now solely a political party and has representatives in the Lebanese Parliament.