Lebanon Government and Politics

Lebanon, as a democratic republic, enjoys a parliamentary system of a government with a President, a Prime Minister, and a cabinet chosen through an electoral process. The main Lebanese structure is based on the constitutional principle of separation between the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches. Voting lists (a form of political grouping in which a slate of candidates runs for office) are organized mainly along confessional lines, and each list is usually headed by a "traditional" semifeudal leader. Voting age in Lebanon was lowered from 21 to 18 for most major elections types. Thus, Lebanese citizens aged 18 and older may vote. Unfortunately, the Lebanese government was unable to function in most aspects during the civil war. Since the war, it has lacked real sovereignty because of several local and international conflicting forces: many foreign and neigbouring countries have used Lebanon as a buffer state and battleground.