Editing Politics of Lebanon

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{{Infobox political system
| name                          = Lebanese Republic
| native_name                   = {{nobold|{{native name|ar|الجمهورية اللبنانية|italics=off}}}}<br/>{{Transliteration|ar|Al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah}}
| image                         = Flag of Lebanon.svg
| image_size                    =
| caption                       = 
| type                          = [[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[parliamentary republic]] [[democratic republic]]
| constitution                  = [[Constitution of Lebanon]]
| legislature                   = [[Parliament of Lebanon]]
| legislature_type              = [[Unicameralism|Unicameral]]
| legislature_place             = Parliament Building in [[Beirut]]
| legislature_speaker           = [[Nabih Berri]]
| legislature_speaker_title    = [[Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon]]

| title_hos                     = [[President of Lebanon|President]]
| current_hos                   = [[Joseph Aoun]]
| appointer_hos                 = [[Parliament of Lebanon|Parliament]]

| title_hog                     = [[Prime Minister of Lebanon|Prime Minister]]
| current_hog                   = [[Nawaf Salam]] 
| appointer_hog                 = [[President of Lebanon|President]] on binding advice of [[Parliament of Lebanon|Parliament]]

| cabinet                       = [[Council of Ministers of Lebanon|Council of Ministers]]
| current_cabinet               =[[Cabinet of Nawaf Salam]]
| cabinet_leader                = [[Prime Minister of Lebanon|Prime Minister]]
| cabinet_deputyleader          =[[Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon|Deputy Prime Minister]]
| cabinet_appointer             = [[Prime Minister of Lebanon|Prime Minister]] with [[President of Lebanon|President]]

| judiciary                     = [[#Judicial branch|Judicial branch]]
| judiciary_head                = Suheil Aboud
| judiciary_head_title          = Chief Justice, President of the Supreme Judicial Council
| courts                        =
| court                         =
| chief_judge                   =
| court_seat                    =
| court1                        =
| chief_judge1                  =
| court_seat1                   =
}}
{{Politics of Lebanon}}
[[Lebanon]] is a [[Parliamentary republic|parliamentary]] [[Democracy|democratic]] [[republic]] within the overall framework of [[Confessionalism (politics)|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 Lebanese general election|2009]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/pro-western-coalition-declares-victory-in-lebanon/article1172689/|title=Pro-Western coalition declares victory in Lebanon – The Globe and Mail|access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> another election was not held until [[2018 Lebanese general election|2018]]. The [[Parliament of Lebanon|Parliament]] elects a [[President of Lebanon|president]] every six years to a single term. The president is not eligible for re-election. The last presidential election was in [[2022–2025 Lebanese presidential election|2025]]. The president and parliament choose the [[Prime Minister of Lebanon|prime minister]].

[[List of political parties in Lebanon|Political parties]] may be formed. Most are based on [[Sectarianism|sectarian]] interests. 2008 saw a new twist to Lebanese politics when the [[Doha Agreement (2008)|Doha Agreement]] set a new trend where the opposition is allowed a veto power in the [[Council of Ministers of Lebanon|Council of Ministers]] and confirmed religious confessionalism in the distribution of political power.

==Overview==
{{cleanup section|reason=needs to be organized and be more focused. Some content belong to other sections, or to a History section.|date=August 2020}}
The [[Maronite]] [[Catholic]]s and the [[Druze]] founded modern [[Lebanon]] in the early eighteenth century, through the ruling and social system known as the "[[Maronite-Druze dualism]]" in [[Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah: The Unholy Alliance and Its War on Lebanon| first=Marius|last=Deeb|year= 2013| isbn= 9780817916664|publisher=Hoover Press|quote= the Maronites and the Druze, who founded Lebanon in the early eighteenth century.}}</ref> 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.

The 1943 [[National Pact]], an unwritten agreement that established the political foundations of modern Lebanon, [[Reserved political positions|allocated]] political power on an essentially confessional system based on the 1932 census. Seats in parliament were divided on a 6-to-5 ratio of [[Christianity in Lebanon|Christians]] to [[Islam in Lebanon|Muslims]]. In 1990, the ratio changed to half and half. Positions in the government bureaucracy are allocated on a similar basis.

The pact by custom allocated public offices along religious lines, with the top three positions in the ruling "troika" distributed as follows: the [[President of Lebanon|president]], a [[Maronite Christianity in Lebanon|Maronite Christian]]; the [[List of Speakers of the Parliament of Lebanon|speaker]] of the Parliament, a [[Shi'a Islam in Lebanon|Shi'a Muslim]]; and the [[Prime Minister of Lebanon|prime minister]], a [[Sunni Islam in Lebanon|Sunni Muslim]].

Efforts to alter or abolish the confessional system of allocating power have been at the centre of Lebanese politics for decades. 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. 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. The president has the authority to promulgate laws passed by the Parliament, form the government to issue supplementary regulations to ensure the execution of laws, and to negotiate and ratify treaties.

The Parliament is elected by adult suffrage based on a system of majority or "winner-take-all" for the various confessional groups. The [[Age of majority|majority]] age for voting in elections is 21.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/469cda4dc.html|title=Refworld {{!}} Liban : information sur l'âge de la majorité, en particulier chez les femmes; droits de garde du père sur les enfants de sexe féminin|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|website=Refworld|language=en|access-date=19 February 2019}}</ref> There has been a recent effort to switch to proportional representation which many argue will provide a more accurate assessment of the size of political groups and allow minorities to be heard. Most deputies do not represent political parties as they are known in the West, and rarely form Western-style groups in the assembly. Political blocs are usually based on confessional and local interests or on personal/family allegiance rather than on political affinities.

The parliament traditionally has played a significant role in financial affairs, since it has the responsibility for levying taxes and passing the budget. It exercises political control over the cabinet through formal questioning of ministers on policy issues and by requesting a confidence debate.

Lebanon's judicial system is based on the [[Napoleonic Code]]. Juries are not used in trials. The Lebanese court system has three levels—courts of first instance, courts of appeal, and the court of cassation. There is a system of religious courts having jurisdiction over personal status matters within their own communities, e.g., rules on such matters as marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

Lebanese political institutions often play a secondary role to highly confessionalized personality-based politics. Powerful families play an independent role in mobilizing votes for both local and parliamentary elections. A lively panoply [[List of political parties in Lebanon|of domestic political parties]], some even predating independence, exists. The largest parties are all religiously aligned.

The [[Free Patriotic Movement (Lebanon)|Free Patriotic Movement]], The [[Kataeb Party (Lebanon)|Kataeb Party]], also known as the Phalange Party, the [[Lebanese National Bloc|National Bloc]], [[National Liberal Party (Lebanon)|National Liberal Party]], [[Lebanese Forces]] and the [[Guardians of the Cedars]] (now outlawed) each have their own base among Christians.

[[Amal Movement|Amal]] and [[Hezbollah]] are the main rivals for the organized [[Shi'a Islam in Lebanon|Shi'a]] vote. The PSP ([[Progressive Socialist Party]]) is the leading [[Druze in Lebanon|Druze]] party. Shi'a and Druze parties command fierce loyalty to their respective leaderships. There is more factional infighting among many of the Christian parties.

Sunni parties have not been the standard vehicle for launching political candidates, and tend to focus across Lebanon's borders on issues that are important to the community at large. Lebanon's [[Sunni Islam in Lebanon|Sunni]] parties include [[Hizb ut-Tahrir]], [[Future Movement]], [[Independent Nasserist Organization]] (INO), the [[Islamic Unification Movement|Al-Tawhid]], and [[Al-Ahbash|Ahbash]].

Besides the traditional confessional parties above, new secular parties have emerged, amongst which [[Sabaa (Lebanon)|Sabaa]] and the [[Party of Lebanon]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.executive-magazine.com/cover-story/the-anti-establishment|title=The anti-establishment - Executive Magazine|date=13 September 2017|access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref> representing a new trend in Lebanese politics towards secularism and a truly democratic society. 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 [[Lebanese Civil War|the period of civil war]].

There are differences both between and among Muslim and Christian parties regarding the role of religion in state affairs. There is a very high degree of political activism among religious leaders across the sectarian spectrum. The interplay for position and power among the religious, political, and party leaders and groups produces a political tapestry of extraordinary complexity.

In the past, the system worked to produce a viable democracy. Events over the last decade and long-term demographic trends have upset the delicate [[Islam in Lebanon|Muslim]]–[[Christianity in Lebanon|Christian]]–[[Druze in Lebanon|Druze]] balance and resulted in greater segregation across the social spectrum. Whether in political parties, places of residence, schools, media outlets, even workplaces, there is a lack of regular interaction across sectarian lines to facilitate the exchange of views and promote understanding. All factions have called for a reform of the political system.

Some Christians favor political and administrative decentralization of the government, with separate Muslim and Christian sectors operating within the framework of a confederation. Muslims, for the most part, prefer a unified, central government with an enhanced share of power commensurate with their larger share of the population. The reforms of the Ta'if agreement moved in this direction but have not been fully realized.

[[Palestinians in Lebanon|Palestinian refugees]], predominantly [[Sunni Muslim]]s, whose numbers are estimated at between 160,000 and 225,000, are not active on the domestic political scene.

In 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wamu.org/programs/dr/05/02/21.php|title=WAMU and Farid Abboud discuss Hariri's assassination|access-date=20 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913001458/http://wamu.org/programs/dr/05/02/21.php|archive-date=13 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Following the withdrawal of [[Military of Syria|Syrian troops]] in April 2005, Lebanon [[2005 Lebanese general election|held parliamentary elections]] in four rounds, from 29 May to 19 June. 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 second in the [[Middle East]] and 98th out of 167 countries worldwide on the 2014 [[Democracy Index]]. 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, with participation ranging from hundreds of thousands to estimates as high as two million citizens, that mobilized to demand political and economic reform.<ref name=":1" /> The October 2019 uprising in Lebanon reignited debate over the country’s political-sectarian system, institutionalized during the French Mandate period, such as through the 1943 National Pact.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Practicing sectarianism: archival and ethnographic interventions on Lebanon |date=2023 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-1-5036-3386-5 |editor-last=Deeb |editor-first=Lara |location=Stanford, California |editor-last2=Nalbantian |editor-first2=Tsolin |editor-last3=Sbaiti |editor-first3=Nadya}}</ref> The protests, marked by calls to dismantle this system, reflected decades of growing intersectional activism,<ref name=":0" /> in which feminist groups played a key role.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Mikdashi |first=Maya |title=Sextarianism: sovereignty, secularism, and the state in Lebanon |date=2022 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-1-5036-2887-8 |location=Stanford, California}}</ref> Although protesters pursued multiple goals, one of the most unifying demands, that transcended sectarian and ideological divides, was the dismantling of entrenched corruption perpetrated by the political elite and their associates, which profit from cronyism prevalent in the country.<ref name=":1" /> Demonstrators called for a more equitable and accountable government,<ref name=":0" /> economic reforms to address the country’s deepening financial crisis, and debates on citizenship, census bureaucracy, and personal status laws.<ref name=":1" /> However, the protests faced harsh repression from the Lebanese security forces, including mass arrests, the use of tear gas, and the shooting of demonstrators, along with other repressive measures.<ref name=":1" /> In August 2020, [[2020 Beirut explosion|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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53720383|title=Beirut explosion: Lebanon's government 'to resign' as death toll rises|work=BBC News|date=10 August 2020}}</ref>

In May 2022, Lebanon [[2022 Lebanese general election|held its first election]] since a painful economic crisis dragged it to the brink of becoming a [[failed state]]. Lebanon's crisis has been so severe that more than 80 percent of the population is now considered poor by the [[United Nations]]. In the election, the Iran-backed Shia Muslim [[Hezbollah]] movement and its allies lost their parliamentary majority. Hezbollah did not lose any of its seats, but its allies lost seats.<ref name="www.aljazeera.com">{{cite news |last1=Chehayeb |first1=Kareem |title=After elections in Lebanon, does political change stand a chance? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/19/what-stands-next-for-lebanon-after-key-elections |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="aljazeera.com">{{cite news |last1=Chehayeb |first1=Kareem |title=Hezbollah allies projected to suffer losses in Lebanon elections |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/16/hezbollah-allies-projected-to-lose-seats-lebanese-parliamentary-elections |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Hariri's absence leaves Sunni voter">{{cite news |last1=Chehayeb |first1=Kareem |title=Hariri's absence leaves Sunni voters unsure ahead of Lebanon poll |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/4/lebanon-sunni-vote |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>

Hezbollah’s ally, President [[Michel Aoun|Michel Aoun's]] [[Free Patriotic Movement]], was no longer the biggest Christian party after the election. A rival Christian party, led by [[Samir Geagea]], with close ties to Saudi Arabia, the [[Lebanese Forces]] (LF), made gains. The Sunni [[Future Movement]], led by former prime minister [[Saad Hariri]], did not participate in the election, leaving a political vacuum for other Sunni politicians to fill.<ref name="www.aljazeera.com"/><ref name="aljazeera.com"/><ref name="Hariri's absence leaves Sunni voter"/> In October 2024, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, [[Gebran Bassil]], announced that the party was no longer in alliance with [[Hezbollah]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Bassil Disavows Hezbollah, Blames it for Israeli Assault on Lebanon |url=https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5073914-bassil-disavows-hezbollah-blames-it-israeli-assault-lebanon |work=english.aawsat.com |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2024, a [[2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement|ceasefire deal]] was signed between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah to end 13 months of conflict. According to the agreement, Hezbollah was given 60 days to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon and Israeli forces were obliged to withdraw from the area over the same period.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lebanon ceasefire: What we know about Israel-Hezbollah deal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2d3gj9ewxo |work=www.bbc.com |date=27 November 2024}}</ref> [[Fall of the Assad regime|The fall of Assad’s Baathist regime]] in Syria was  another blow to its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, which was alredy weakened because of Israeli military actions.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rebeiz |first1=Mireille |title=Assad's fall in Syria will further weaken Hezbollah and curtails Tehran's 'Iranization' of region |url=https://theconversation.com/assads-fall-in-syria-will-further-weaken-hezbollah-and-curtails-tehrans-iranization-of-region-245606 |website=The Conversation |date=11 December 2024}}</ref> The Syrian regime change in December 2024 was said to start a new chapter in Lebanese politics.<ref>{{cite web |title=What Assad's Fall Means for Lebanon |url=https://www.usip.org/publications/2024/12/what-assads-fall-means-lebanon |website=United States Institute of Peace |language=en}}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In January 2025, [[Joseph Aoun]], the Lebanese army commander, was elected Lebanese 14th [[President of Lebanon|president]] after a two-year vacancy.<ref>{{cite news |author=Al Jazeera Staff |title=Who is Joseph Aoun, the new president of Lebanon? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/9/who-is-joseph-aoun-the-new-president-of-lebanon |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> In February 2025, Prime Minister [[Nawaf Salam]], former president of the [[International Court of Justice]] (ICJ), formed a new government of 24 ministers after two-year caretaker cabinet.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lebanon names new government after two-year caretaker cabinet |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/8/lebanon-names-new-government-after-two-year-caretaker-cabinet |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> On 26 February 2025,  Lebanon's government of  Nawaf Salam won a confidence vote in parliament.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lebanon's government wins confidence vote in Parliament |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2025/02/26/lebanon-s-government-wins-confidence-vote-in-parliament |work=Al Arabiya English |date=26 February 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

==Executive branch==
[[File:Grand-Serail.jpg|thumb|The Grand Serail, also known as the Government Palace, is the headquarters of the [[prime minister of Lebanon]]]]
{{office-table}}
|[[President of Lebanon|President]]
|[[Joseph Aoun]]
|[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|9 January 2025
|-
|[[Prime Minister of Lebanon|Prime Minister]]
|[[Nawaf Salam]]
|[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|8 February 2025
|-
|[[List of Speakers of the Parliament of Lebanon|Speaker of the Parliament]]
|[[Nabih Berri]]
|[[Amal Movement]]
|20 October 1992
|}
The [[List of Presidents of Lebanon|president]] is elected by the [[Parliament of Lebanon|Parliament]] for a six-year term. They cannot be reelected again until six years have passed from the end of their first term.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/law/help/lebanon-election.php#f4|title=Lebanon: Presidential Election and the Conflicting Constitutional Interpretations|author=Issam Michael Saliba|publisher=US Library of Congress|date=October 2007|access-date=13 May 2014}}</ref> The [[List of Prime Ministers of Lebanon|prime minister]] and deputy prime minister are appointed by the president in consultation with the Parliament. The president is required to be [[Maronite Christianity in Lebanon|a Maronite]], the prime minister [[Sunni Islam in Lebanon|a Sunni]], and [[List of speakers of the Parliament of Lebanon|the speaker]] of the Parliament [[Shi'a Islam in Lebanon|a Shi'a]]. See [[Third Cabinet of Najib Mikati|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 Government of Lebanon continues to refuse to undertake a new census.

===President===
{{main|President of Lebanon}}
Lebanon operates under a parliamentary system, where the president has a wide range of reserve powers but is largely symbolic. The president is not accountable to Parliament, unless for treason, and is elected by the Parliament with a two-thirds majority. The president has the sole power to appoint the prime minister, and may {{Citation needed span|dismiss them at any point, without input from the Chamber of Deputies,|date=November 2024}} which can force the president to resign.<ref name="Boell2014">{{cite web|url=https://lb.boell.org/en/2014/07/04/caught-between-constitution-and-politics-presidential-vacuum-lebanon|title=Caught between constitution and politics: the presidential vacuum in Lebanon|website=Heinrich Böll Stiftung Middle East|access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref>

Following the end of the [[Lebanese Civil War]], the president lost some powers to the [[Council of Ministers of Lebanon|Council of Ministers]] through the [[Taif Agreement]]. Being the sole person who appoints it, however, they ''de facto''{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} still retain all, or most, of their pre-Taif powers.

==Legislative branch==
[[Image:BeirutParliament.jpg|thumb|The Lebanese parliament building at Place de l'Étoile in Beirut|alt=]]
Lebanon's [[List of national legislatures|national legislature]] is called the [[Parliament of Lebanon|Assembly of Representatives]] (''Majlis al-Nuwab'' in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]). 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 term was four years, but has recently been extended to five.

Seats in the Parliament are ''confessionally distributed'' but elected by ''[[universal suffrage]].'' Each religious community has an allotted number of seats in the Parliament. They do not represent only their co-religionists. All candidates in a particular constituency, regardless of religious affiliation, must receive a plurality of the total vote, which includes followers of all confessions. The system was designed to minimize inter-sectarian competition and maximize cross-confessional cooperation: candidates are opposed only by co-religionists, but must seek support from outside of their own faith in order to be elected.

The opposition [[Qornet Shehwan Gathering]], a group opposed to the former pro-[[Syria]]n government, has claimed that constituency boundaries have been drawn to allow many [[Shi'a Islam in Lebanon|Shi'a]] Muslims to be elected from Shi'a-majority constituencies, where the [[Hezbollah]] Party is strong, while allocating many Christian members to Muslim-majority constituencies, forcing Christian politicians to represent Muslim interests. Similar charges, but in reverse, were made against the [[Camille Chamoun|Chamoun]] administration in the 1950s.

The following table sets out the confessional allocation of seats in the Parliament before and after the [[Taif Agreement]].

{{Reserved seats in Lebanon}}

===Current parliament===
{{Main|2022 Lebanese general election}}
[[File:Lebanon Parliament 2022.svg|Lebanon Parliament 2018]]

====[[Third Cabinet of Najib Mikati|March 8 Alliance]] {{small|(caretaker government)}} (60)====
* [[Strong Lebanon|Strong Lebanon Bloc]] (16)
** {{Color box|#FF6000|border=silver}} [[Free Patriotic Movement]] (16)
* [[Development and Liberation|Development and Liberation Bloc]] (15)
** {{Color box|#008000|border=silver}} [[Amal Movement]] (14)
** {{Color box|{{party color|Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Lebanon Region}}|border=silver}} [[Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Lebanon Region|Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party]] (1)
* [[Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc]] (15)
** {{Color box|#F7DF19|border=silver}} [[Hezbollah]] (13)
** {{Color box|#888888|border=silver}} [[Independent politician|Independents]] (2)
* [[March 8 Alliance|March 8 Affiliates]] (10)
** {{Color box|#888888|border=silver}} [[Independent politician|Independents]] (5)
** {{Color box|#ADFF2F|border=silver}} [[Marada Movement]] (2)
** {{Color box|Gold|border=silver}} [[Al-Ahbash]] (2)
** {{Color box|{{party color|Popular Nasserist Organization}}|border=silver}} [[Popular Nasserist Organization|PNO]] (1)
** {{Color box|#000000|border=silver}} [[Union Party (Lebanon)|Union Party]] (1)
** {{Color box|#AA0B02|border=silver}} [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation in Lebanon|ARF]] (3)

====[[March 14 Alliance]] (38)====
* [[Strong Republic (Lebanon)|Strong Republic Bloc]] (22)
** {{Color box|#F0001C|border=silver}} [[Lebanese Forces|LF]] (19)
** {{Color box|{{party color|National Liberal Party (Lebanon)}}|border=silver}} [[National Liberal Party (Lebanon)|NLP]] (1)
* [[Renewal Bloc]]
** {{Color box|#d92025|border=silver}} [[Independence Movement (Lebanon)|Independence Movement]] (2)
** {{Color box|#888888|border=silver}} [[Rifi Bloc|Sanad Movement]] (1)
** {{Color box|red|border=silver}} [[National Dialogue Party]] (1)
* {{Color box|#007FFF|border=silver}} [[Future Movement|Ex-Future Movement]] (8)
* {{Color box|#228B22|border=silver}} [[Kataeb Party]] (5)
* {{Color box|{{party color|Islamic Group (Lebanon)}}|border=silver}} [[Islamic Group (Lebanon)|Islamic Group]] (1)

====Other opposition (30)====
* {{Color box|purple|border=silver}} [[Forces of Change]] (13)
** {{Color box|darkgray|border=silver}} [[Independent politician|Independent]] (4)
** {{Color box|#65c308|border=silver}} [[Taqaddom (Lebanon)|Taqaddum]] (2)
** {{Color box|#5ac5cb|border=silver}} [[National Alliance (Lebanon)|Tahalof Watani]] (1)
** {{Color box|red|border=silver}} [[Lebanese Communist Party|LCP]] (1)
** {{Color box|#f50025|border=silver}} [[ReLebanon]] (1)
** {{Color box|#1e40dd|border=silver}} [[Beirut Tuqawem]] (1)
** {{Color box|#d60303|border=silver}} [[Khatt Ahmar]] (1)
** {{Color box|#006f66|border=silver}} [[Lana (political party)|Lana]] (1)
** {{Color box|#004eff|border=silver}} [[Osos Lebanon]] (1)
* [[Democratic Gathering (Lebanon)|Democratic Gathering Bloc]] (9)
** {{Color box|#860111|border=silver}} [[Progressive Socialist Party|PSP]] (8)
** {{Color box|#888888|border=silver}} [[Independent politician|Independents]] (1)
* {{Color box|#888888|border=silver}} [[Independent politician|Independents]] (8)

==Judicial branch==
Lebanon is a [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]] country.
Its judicial branch is composed of:
* Ordinary courts:
** One [[Court of Cassation]] composed of nine chambers <ref name="justice.gov.lb">{{Cite web |author=Ministry of Justice, Republic of Lebanon |author-link=Ministry of Justice (Lebanon) |title=Judicial map |url=http://www.justice.gov.lb/CP/viewpage.aspx?id=576&language=2 |access-date=19 March 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161125095955/http://www.justice.gov.lb/CP/viewpage.aspx?id=576&language=2 |archive-date=25 November 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
** Courts of Appeal (in the centre of every [[Governorates of Lebanon|governorate]]) <ref name="justice.gov.lb"/>
** Courts of First Instance <ref name="justice.gov.lb"/>
* Special courts:
** The [[Constitutional Council (Lebanon)|Constitutional Council]] (called for in the [[Taif Agreement]]) rules on constitutionality of laws
** The [[Supreme Council (Lebanon)|Supreme Council]] hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed.
** A system of military courts that also has jurisdiction over civilians for the crimes of espionage, treason, and other crimes that are considered to be security-related.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61693.htm|title=Lebanon|first=Bureau of Public Affairs|last=Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information|website=2001-2009.state.gov|access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref>

==Political parties and elections==
{{elect|List of political parties in Lebanon|Elections in Lebanon}}
Lebanon [[List of political parties in Lebanon|has numerous political parties]], but they play a much less significant role in Lebanese politics than they do in most parliamentary democracies. Many of the "parties" are simply lists of candidates endorsed by a prominent national or local figure. Loose coalitions, usually organized locally, are formed for electoral purposes by negotiation among clan leaders and candidates representing various religious communities. Such coalitions usually exist only for the election, and rarely form a cohesive block in the [[Parliament of Lebanon|Parliament]] after the election. No single party has ever won more than 12.5 percent of the seats in the Parliament. No coalition of parties has won more than 35 percent.

Especially outside of the major cities, elections tend to focus more on local than national issues. It is not unusual for a party to join an electoral ticket in one constituency while aligned with a rival party – even an ideologically opposite party – in another constituency.

It is not uncommon for election times to be accompanied by outbreaks of violence, especially in polling areas where there are people of conflicting political and religious backgrounds. Sectarianism is so ingrained into Lebanese politics and society that citizens supporting their political parties will kill or be killed defending them.

==International participation==
Lebanon participates in the international community through both international organizations and enacting international policy practices, such as the Sustainable development goals and the [[Paris Agreement]].

===Member organizations===
[[ABEDA]], [[Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique|ACCT]], [[Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development|AFESD]], [[Arab League|AL]], [[Arab Monetary Fund|AMF]], [[European Broadcasting Union|EBU]], [[United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia|ESCWA]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[Group of 24|G24]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Chamber of Commerce|ICC]]{{Clarify|date=November 2008}}, [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], IDA{{Clarify|date=November 2008}}, [[Islamic Development Bank|IDB]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], IFC{{Clarify|date=November 2008}}, [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], IMO{{Clarify|date=November 2008}}, [[Inmarsat]], [[International Trade Union Confederation|ITUC]], [[Intelsat]], [[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]], [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]] (correspondent), [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], OAS{{Clarify|date=November 2008}} (observer), [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|OIC]], PCA{{Clarify|date=November 2008}}, [[United Nations|UN]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East|UNRWA]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTO]].

===Sustainable development goals===
{{Excerpt|Sustainable Development Goals and Lebanon}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Lebanon|Politics}}
* [[Foreign relations of Lebanon]]
* [[Environmental policy of Lebanon]]
* [[History of Lebanon]]
* [[Lebanese diaspora]]
* [[Lebanese identity card]]
* [[Lebanese passport]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110411005202/http://www.informs.gov.lb/informs_en/pages/home.aspx Lebanon] ''official government portal''
* [https://soundcloud.com/lebpoliticspodcast/ The Lebanese Politics Podcast]

{{Lebanon topics}}
{{Lebanese political parties}}
{{Asia topic|Politics of}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics Of Lebanon}}
[[Category:Politics of Lebanon| ]]

[[bn:লেবানন#রাজনীতি]]