ABSTRACT
Political parties in the MENA region frequently differ from their counterparts in the West in a number of functions. Nevertheless, thanks to these alternative functions, they may play a more important role in the daily lives of the people they represent. Using the example of the Armenian political parties in Lebanon, the chapter demonstrates how the socio-political history of the country and the circumstances of the emergence of these parties define their functions. It is argued that these combine some of the functions of a traditional political party and a diaspora organisation. Also discussed is whether the Armenian community can be seen as a little state within Lebanon, where political parties alongside religious institutions have significant socio-economic powers and are the main actors ensuring preservation of identity and interests of the ethno-religious groups they represent in the country. Finally, the effect of socio-economic changes in the country on the functions and powers of these parties is discussed.
