Lebanon · Legislation
Legislation and primary sources
Where to find the authoritative text of the law in Lebanon, and how to confirm it is still in force.
Sources of law, ranked
- The 1926 Constitution
- As amended by Taif in 1990; the preamble entrenches communal coexistence.
- Statutes of Parliament
- Published in the Official Gazette; decree-laws also used in some periods.
- Code of Obligations and Contracts 1932
- French-model core of private law.
- Confessional personal status laws
- Eighteen communities apply their own law through their own courts.
- Judicial precedent
- Not formally binding; Court of Cassation authority is persuasive.
The legislative process
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.
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