<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Lebanon<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Note:</hi> Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since the end of the devastating 16-year civil war in October 1990. Under the Ta'if accord —the blueprint for national reconciliation—the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process. Since December 1990, the Lebanese have formed three cabinets and conducted the first legislative election in 20 years. Most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has seized vast quantities of weapons used by the militias during the war and extended central government authority over about one-half of the country. Hizballah, the radical Sh'ia party, retains most of its weapons. Foreign forces still occupy areas of Lebanon. Israel maintains troops in southern Lebanon and continues to support a proxy militia, The Army of South Lebanon (ASL), along a narrow stretch of territory contiguous to its border. The ASL's enclave encompasses this self-declared security zone and about 20 kilometers north to the strategic town of Jazzine. As of December 1993, Syria maintained about 30,000-35,000 troops in Lebanon. These troops are based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's deployment was legitimized by the Arab League early in Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if accord. Citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests, and failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if accord, Damascus has so far refused to withdraw its troops from Beirut.
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Republic of Lebanon
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Lebanon
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> none
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 23 May 1926, amended a number of times
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989); note—by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 22 October 1992)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Cabinet; chosen by the president in consultation with the members of the National Assembly
<item><hi format=bold>National Assembly:</hi> (Arabic—Majlis Alnuwab, French—Assemblee Nationale) Lebanon's first legislative election in 20 years was held in the summer of 1992; the National Assembly is composed of 128 deputies, one-half Christian and one-half Muslim; its mandate expires in 1996
<item><hi format=bold>Judicial branch:</hi> four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases)
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band
