Politics of Lebanon

Lebanese Republic

الجمهورية اللبنانية (Arabic)
Al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah
Polity typeUnitary Parliamentary republic democratic republic
ConstitutionConstitution of Lebanon
Legislative branch
NameParliament of Lebanon
TypeUnicameral
Meeting placeParliament Building in Beirut
Presiding officerNabih Berri, Speaker
Executive branch
Head of State
TitlePresident
CurrentlyVacant
AppointerElected by Parliament
Head of Government
TitlePrime Minister
CurrentlyNajib Mikati
AppointerPresident, on parliament’s advice
Cabinet
NameCouncil of Ministers
LeaderPrime Minister
AppointerThe Prime Minister with the President
Judicial branch
NameJudicial branch

Lebanon is a parliamentary democratic republic within the overall framework of confessionalism, a form of consociationalism in which the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives from certain religious communities. The constitution of Lebanon grants the people the right to change their government. However, from the mid-1970s until the parliamentary elections in 1992, the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) precluded the exercise of political rights.

According to the constitution, direct elections must be held for the parliament every four years, however after the parliamentary election in 2009[1] another election was not held until 2018. The Parliament, in turn, elects a president every six years to a single term. The president is not eligible for re-election. The last presidential election was in 2016. The president and parliament choose the prime minister. Political parties may be formed; most are based on sectarian interests. 2008 saw a new twist to Lebanese politics when the Doha Agreement set a new trend where the opposition is allowed a veto power in the Council of Ministers and confirmed religious confessionalism in the distribution of political power. The Economist Intelligence Unit classified Lebanon's political system as authoritarian in 2023.[2]

  1. ^ "Pro-Western coalition declares victory in Lebanon – The Globe and Mail". Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Democracy Index 2023". Economist Intelligence Unit. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

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