at, singular -
mohafazah); Beyrouth, Ech Chimal, Ej Jnoub, El Bekaa, Jabal Loubnane

Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution: 23 May 1926, amended a number of times

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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
women at age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Salim al-HUSS (since 4 December
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the
president and members of the National Assembly; the current Cabinet
was formed in 1998
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004);
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in
consultation with the National Assembly; 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
election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly
vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab
(Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected
by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 August-15 September 1996 (next to be held NA
2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
(one-half Christian and one-half Muslim)

Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and
commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional
Council (called for in Ta'if Accord) rules on constitutionality of
laws; Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime
minister as needed)

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

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24,