ABSTRACT
The cases of failed, or partial reforms to the electoral system in Lebanon and to the constitutional process in Libya reveal a great deal about people, institutions and the direction of change in my region. Identifying the constraints on political reform first requires an understanding of the history and contemporary contexts of both countries. I have argued that there were three constraining elements of continuity from the Ottoman and colonial eras as well as from the postcolonial period that remained prevalent in Lebanon after Syria's withdrawal in 2005 and in Libya after the fall of Gadhafi in 2011. These constraints explained here within the framework of path dependence were weak state institutions, power-sharing agreements, and ineffective NGOs. The question is: where can the researchers and the activists go from here? Is there a way to move past a “partially” critical juncture and if so what would be those conditions?
