Lebanon · Government
Government and administration in Lebanon
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Head of state — President of the Republic
- By convention a Maronite Christian; elected by Parliament.
- Executive — Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister
- The Prime Minister is by convention a Sunni Muslim; power is collective since Taif.
- Legislative — Parliament
- 128 seats divided equally between Christians and Muslims; the Speaker is by convention a Shia Muslim.
- Judicial governance — Supreme Judicial Council
- Ten members; appointments and discipline.
- Oversight — Court of Accounts and Central Inspection Board
- Audit and administrative inspection.
How legislation is made
Bills are introduced by the Council of Ministers or by members, examined in committee and voted by Parliament. The President promulgates, and may request reconsideration once, which Parliament overcomes by an absolute majority. Where Parliament delegates, the Council of Ministers may legislate by decree-law for a fixed period. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority and government initiative or a Parliamentary proposal supported by two-thirds.
Enforcement institutions
- Internal Security Forces
- National police under the Ministry of Interior; includes the Judicial Police.
- Public Prosecution at the Court of Cassation
- Heads the prosecution service and directs investigating judges' referrals.
- National Anti-Corruption Commission
- Created by the 2020 law; establishment has been slow.
- Land Registry (Directorate of Land Registration and Cadastre)
- Title registration; records are partly damaged from the civil war period.
- Banque du Liban and Special Investigation Commission
- Banking supervision and the financial intelligence unit.
Government bodies and regulators
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