Editing Ba'ath Party (section)

===Lebanon===
{{Main|Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Lebanon Region|Socialist Arab Lebanon Vanguard Party}}
The Lebanese Regional Branch was formed in 1949–1950.{{sfn|Seddon|2004|p=85}} During the existence of the UAR, the Regional Branch was split into two factions, those supporting Nasser and those opposing him.{{sfn|Oron|1960|p=497}} However, in April 1960, the UAR denied the Regional Branch organ ''As Sahafäh'' access into the UAR-ruled Syria.{{sfn|Oron|1960|p=497}}

The Regional Branch was strongest in the city of [[Tripoli, Lebanon|Tripoli]].{{sfn|Oron|1960|p=356}} In the [[1960 Lebanese general election|1960 elections]], [[Abd al-Majid al-Rafei]] was just a few votes short of being elected to parliament.{{sfn|Oron|1960|p=356}} However, a persistent problem for him during his election campaign was the vocal criticism of him and the Regional Branch by the [[Lebanese Communist Party]].{{sfn|Oron|1960|p=356}} In Tripoli the Communists supported the candidacy of [[Rashid Karami]], to ensure themselves of a Regional Branch victory.{{sfn|Oron|1960|p=348}} On 17 July 1961 a group of rival Ba'athists led by Rimawi opened fire on several of the Regional Branch's members.{{sfn|Oron|1960|p=378}}

During the UAR years, the same factional lines that developed in the Syrian Regional Branch came to the Lebanese Regional Branch.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=23}} At the 4th National Congress (held in Lebanon), which was mainly attended by delegates representing Lebanon, several resolutions with a pronounced anti-Nasser tone were approved.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|pp=23–24}} At the same time, criticism of Aflaq and Bitar was severe, both their leadership records and their ideology were criticized.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=24}} A resolution was approved, which stated that the party leaders (Aflaq and al-Bitar among others) had too hastily entered into a union with Egypt, had wrongly dissolved the Syrian Regional Branch in 1958, and had given pan-Arabism primacy when socialism was more important. The resolution also affirmed the need to use a more Marxist lens rather than a Ba'athist one to analyze the current situation, and the need for the party to strengthen their positions among the workers, peasants, artisans, and shopkeepers.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=24}} Because of the position of the Lebanese Regional Branch, Aflaq at the 5th National Congress invited enough Iraqi Regional Branch delegates to neutralize the Lebanese delegates.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=37}} However, at the same time, the Lebanese Regional Branch opposed Hawrani and his faction.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=39}} At the 6th National Congress, the Lebanese Regional Branch elected Jubrän Majdalani and Khalid al-Ali to the National Command.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=227}}

At the 7th National Congress, the National Command in collaboration with the Military Committee removed leftists, such as those found in the Lebanese Regional Branch, from leadership positions, and expelled them from the party in the most severe cases.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=106}} The Lebanese Regional Branch managed to elect three members to the National Command at the 7th National Congress; Majdalani, al-Ali and Abd al-Majid Rafi.{{sfn|Rabinovich|1972|p=227}}