The 1943 National Pact, an unwritten agreement that established the political foundations of modern Lebanon, allocated political power on an essentially confessional system based on the 1932 census.
(See list of the ministers and their political affiliation for a list of ministers.) This confessional system is based on 1932 census data which showed the Maronite Christians as having a substantial majority of the population.
The 1943 National Pact, an unwritten agreement that established the political foundations of modern Lebanon, allocated political power on an essentially confessional system based on the 1932 census.
Those religious groups most favoured by the 1943 formula sought to preserve it, while those who saw themselves at a disadvantage sought either to revise it after updating key demographic data or to abolish it entirely.
In addition to domestic parties, there are branches of pan-Arab secular parties (Ba'ath parties, socialist and communist parties) that were active in the 1960s and throughout the period of civil war. There are differences both between and among Muslim and Christian parties regarding the role of religion in state affairs.
Nonetheless, many of the provisions of the national pact were codified in the 1989 Taif Agreement, perpetuating sectarianism as a key element of Lebanese political life. Although moderated somewhat under Ta'if, the Constitution gives the President a strong and influential position.
Since the elections of 1992 (the first since the reforms of the Taif Agreement of 1989 removed the built-in majority previously enjoyed by Christians and distributed the seats equally between Christians and Muslims), the Parliament has had 128 seats.
Seats in parliament were divided on a 6-to-5 ratio of Christians to Muslims, until 1990 when the ratio changed to half and half.
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 another election was not held until 2018.
Following the explosion and protests against the government, the Prime Minister and his cabinet resigned. ==Executive branch== |President |Michel Aoun |Free Patriotic Movement |31 October 2016 |- |Prime Minister |Hassan Diab |Independent |21 January 2020 |- |Speaker of the Parliament |Nabih Berri |Amal Movement |20 October 1992 |} The President is elected by the Parliament for a six-year term and cannot be reelected again until six years have passed from the end of the first term.
Since the elections of 1992 (the first since the reforms of the Taif Agreement of 1989 removed the built-in majority previously enjoyed by Christians and distributed the seats equally between Christians and Muslims), the Parliament has had 128 seats.
The reforms of the Ta'if agreement moved in this direction but have not been fully realized. Palestinian refugees, predominantly Sunni Muslims, whose numbers are estimated at between 160,000 and 225,000, are not active on the domestic political scene. On 3 September 2004, the Lebanese Parliament voted 96–29 to amend the constitution to extend President Émile Lahoud's six-year term (which was about to expire) by another three years.
The move was supported by Syria, which maintained a large military presence in Lebanon. Former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was assassinated in February 2005. Following the withdrawal of Syrian troops in April 2005, Lebanon held parliamentary elections in four rounds, from 29 May to 19 June.
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 another election was not held until 2018.
The elections, the first for 33 years without the presence of Syrian military forces, were won by the Quadripartite alliance, which was part the Rafik Hariri Martyr List, a coalition of several parties and organizations newly opposed to Syrian domination of Lebanese politics. In January 2015, the Economist Intelligence Unit released a report stating that Lebanon ranked the second in Middle East and 98th out of 167 countries worldwide for Democracy Index 2014.
The elections, the first for 33 years without the presence of Syrian military forces, were won by the Quadripartite alliance, which was part the Rafik Hariri Martyr List, a coalition of several parties and organizations newly opposed to Syrian domination of Lebanese politics. In January 2015, the Economist Intelligence Unit released a report stating that Lebanon ranked the second in Middle East and 98th out of 167 countries worldwide for Democracy Index 2014.
The last presidential election was in 2016.
The Economist Intelligence Unit classified Lebanon as a "[regime]" in 2016. ==Overview== Since the emergence of the post-1943 state and after the destruction of the Ottoman Caliphate, national policy has been determined largely by a relatively restricted group of traditional regional and sectarian leaders.
Following the explosion and protests against the government, the Prime Minister and his cabinet resigned. ==Executive branch== |President |Michel Aoun |Free Patriotic Movement |31 October 2016 |- |Prime Minister |Hassan Diab |Independent |21 January 2020 |- |Speaker of the Parliament |Nabih Berri |Amal Movement |20 October 1992 |} The President is elected by the Parliament for a six-year term and cannot be reelected again until six years have passed from the end of the first term.
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 another election was not held until 2018.
The index ranks countries according to election processes, pluralism, government functions, political participation, political cultures and fundamental freedoms. From October 2019, there have been mass protests against the government.
In August 2020, a large explosion in Beirut killed at least 204 people and caused at least US$3 billion in property damage.
Following the explosion and protests against the government, the Prime Minister and his cabinet resigned. ==Executive branch== |President |Michel Aoun |Free Patriotic Movement |31 October 2016 |- |Prime Minister |Hassan Diab |Independent |21 January 2020 |- |Speaker of the Parliament |Nabih Berri |Amal Movement |20 October 1992 |} The President is elected by the Parliament for a six-year term and cannot be reelected again until six years have passed from the end of the first term.
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