Government (Lebanon)
====================


     Names:
      conventional long form:
       Republic of Lebanon
      conventional short form:
       Lebanon
      local long form:
       Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
      local short form:
       none
     Digraph:
       LE
     Type:
       republic
     Capital:
       Beirut
     Administrative divisions:
       5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Biqa, 'Al Janub, Ash
       Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan
     Independence:
       22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French
       administration)
     Constitution:
       26 May 1926 (amended)
     Legal system:
       mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no
       judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
       jurisdiction
     National holiday:
       Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
     Political parties and leaders:
       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
     Suffrage:   21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21
       with elementary education
     Elections:
      National Assembly:
       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
     Executive branch:
       president, prime minister, Cabinet; 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
     Legislative branch:
       unicameral National Assembly (Arabic - Majlis Alnuwab, French - Assemblee
       Nationale)
     Judicial branch:
       four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and
       one court for criminal cases)
     Leaders:
      Chief of State:
       President Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989)
      Head of Government:
       Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 22 October 1992)