Official name

Republic of Lebanon

Form of state

Parliamentary republic

Legal system

Based on the 1926 constitution (with amendments incorporated in 1990) and the Civil Procedure Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Penal Code

National legislature

Under the electoral law of July 16th 1992, the unicameral National Assembly has 128 seats, equally divided between Muslims and Christians

Electoral system

Universal direct suffrage over the age of 21

National elections

Next parliamentary election due in June 2013

Head of state

The president must be a Maronite Christian. Michel Suleiman was elected by parliament on 25th May 2008 for a six-year term

National government

The prime minister (currently Said Hariri) must be a Sunni Muslim and is chosen by the president after consultation with members of parliament. The cabinet is appointed by the prime minister and the president. Ministers need not be members of the National Assembly, but are responsible to it. Cabinet seats are customarily distributed on a sectarian basis

Main political organisations

Political parties tend to be weak and organised on a sectarian basis. The majority "March 14th" alliance is headed by the Future Movement (Sunni) with the Lebanese Forces (Christian) in loose alliance with the Progressive Socialist Party (Druze) and Phalange (Christian). The opposition "March 8th" grouping comprises Hizbullah (Shia), Amal (Shia) and the Free Patriotic Movement (Christian). The cabinet was formed in November 2009, five months after the June parliamentary election

Prime minister: Saad Hariri (Sunni Muslim)

Deputy prime minister: Elias Murr (Greek Orthodox Christian)

Key ministers

Culture: Salim Wardeh (Sunni Muslim)

Defence: Elias Murr (Greek Orthodox Christian)

Economy & trade: Mohammed Safadi (Sunni Muslim)

Education: Hassan Mneimneh (Sunni Muslim)

Energy & water: Gebran Bassil (Maronite Christian)

Environment: Mohammed Rahal (Sunni Muslim)

Finance: Rayya Haffar Hassan (Sunni Muslim)

Foreign affairs: Ali al-Shami (Shia Muslim)

Health: Mohammed Khalifa (Shia Muslim)

Industry: Abraham Dedian (Armenian Christian)

Information: Tarek Mitri (Greek Orthodox Christian)

Interior: Ziad Baroud (Maronite Christian)

Justice: Ibrahim Najjar (Greek Orthodox Christian)

Labour: Boutros Harb (Maronite Christian)

Public works & transportation: Ghazi Aridi (Druze)

Social affairs: Selim al-Sayegh (Maronite Christian)

Telecommunications: Charbel Nahhas (Catholic Christian)

Tourism: Fadi Abboud (Maronite Christian)

Parliamentary speaker

Nabih Berri (Shia Muslim)

Central bank governor

Riad Salameh (Maronite Christian)