Lebanon: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan former: Greater Lebanon etymology: derives from the Semitic root "lbn" meaning "white" and refers to snow-capped Mount Lebanon |
|---|---|
| Government type | parliamentary republic |
| Capital | Beirut
Beirut
geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Administrative divisions | 8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa, Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord (North Lebanon), Liban-Sud (South Lebanon), Mont-Liban (Mount Lebanon), Nabatiye |
| Independence | 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 22 November (1943) |
| Constitution | drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926; amended several times, last in 2004 (2016) |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil law based on the French civil code, Ottoman legal tradition, and religious laws covering personal status, marriage, divorce, and other family relations of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Lebanon dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: unknown |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Michel AWN (since 31 October 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Saad al-HARIRI (since 18 December 2016); Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan HASBANI (since 18 December 2016) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and National Assembly elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly with two-thirds majority vote in the first round and if needed absolute majority vote in a second round for a 6-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); (next to be held in 2022); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly election results: Michel AWN elected president; National Assembly vote in second round - Michel AWN (FPM) 83; note - in the initial election held on 23 April 2014, no candidate received the required two-thirds vote, and subsequent attempts failed because the National Assembly lacked a quorum to hold a vote; the president was elected in the 46th attempt on 31 October 2016 |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Nuwab in Arabic or Assemblee Nationale in French (128 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by majority vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - seats are apportioned among the Christian and Muslim denominations elections: last held on 7 June 2009 (next to be held in May 2017) election results: percent of vote by coalition - March 8 Coalition 54.7%, March 14 Coalition 45.3%; seats by coalition - March 14 Coalition 71; March 8 Coalition 57; seats by coalition following 16 July 2012 byelection held to fill one seat - March 14 Coalition 72, March 8 Coalition 56 note: Lebanon’s Constitution states the National Assembly cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (organized into 8 chambers, each with a presiding judge and 2 associate judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 10 members) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body headed by the chief justice, and includes other judicial officials; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the Council of Ministers and 5 by parliament; members serve 5-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized tribunals, religious courts; military courts |
| Political parties and leaders | 14 March Coalition: Future Movement Bloc (Sa'ad al-HARIRI) Kata'ib Party (Sami GEMAYEL) Lebanese Forces or LF (Samir JA'JA) Marada Movement (Sulayman FRANJIEH) Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party (Sebouh KELPAKIAN) Hizballah-led bloc (formerly 8 March Coalition): Amal Movement (Nabih BERRI) Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon (Fayez SHUKR) Free Patriotic Movement or FPM (Gibran BASSIL) Hizballah (Hassan NASRALLAH) Islamic Actions Front (Sheikh Zuhair al-JU’AYD) Marada Movement (Sulayman FRANJIEH) Syrian Social Nationalist Party (Ali QANSO) Tashnag or Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Hagop PAKRADOUNIAN) Independent: Progressive Socialist Party or PSP (Walid JUNBLATT) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Grand Mufti of Lebanon (Sheikh Abdul Latif DERIAN) Maronite Church (Patriarch Bishara al-RA'I) note: most sects retain militias and a number of Sunni militant groups operate in Palestinian refugee camps |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaries Carla JAZZAR (since 28 January 2016) chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (1) (202) 939-6300 FAX: (1) (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth H. RICHARD (since May 2016) embassy: Awkar, Lebanon (Awkar facing the Municipality) mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070 telephone: (961) (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: (961) (4) 544136 |
| Flag description | three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band; the red bands symbolize blood shed for liberation, the white band denotes peace, the snow of the mountains, and purity; the green cedar tree is the symbol of Lebanon and represents eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity |
| National symbol(s) | cedar tree; national colors: red, white, green |
| National anthem | name: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All Of Us, For Our Country!) lyrics/music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA note: adopted 1927; chosen following a nationwide competition |