Lebanese Constitution and recognized internationally. Lebanon is Arab by belonging
and identity. It is a working member of the Arab League and is committed to all its
charters. It is a founding and active member of the United Nations and committed
to its charter, and it is also a member of the Nonaligned Movement. The Lebanese
state embodies all these principles in all fields and spheres without exception.
B. Political System: Lebanon is a democratic parliamentary republic based on respect for
public liberties, at the forefront of which are the freedom of opinion and belief; the prin-
ciple of separating the authorities and their balance and cooperation; social justice; and
equality of duties and rights among all citizens without prejudice or favoritism;
C. The economic system is a liberal one which guarantees individual initiative and pri-
vate property.
D. The balanced cultural, social, and economic development of the region is an essen-
tial element for the state’s unity and the stability of the political system.
E. Work must be done to achieve comprehensive social justice through financial, eco-
nomic, and social reforms.
F. Lebanon is one land for all Lebanese. Every Lebanese has the right to settle on any
part of this land and enjoy it under the shadow of the rule of law. There will be no
discrimination among the people on the basis of any affiliation. Neither will there be
any partition, division, or incorporation.
G. No legitimacy will be given to any authority which opposes the charter of
coexistence.
II. The Political Reforms
A. The Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the legislative power which exercises full supervision of
the government’s policy and its actions.
- The speaker and his deputy are elected for a period equal to the life of the
legislature. - Two years after the election of its speaker and his deputy and at its first ses-
sion, the legislature can withdraw its confidence in its speaker or his deputy once and
with a majority of two-thirds of the total number of its members on the basis of a
petition signed by at least 10 deputies. In such a case the legislature must immediately
hold a session to fill the vacant post. - Any draft bill referred by the Council of Ministers to the legislature urgently
cannot be issued until it is included in the agenda of a plenary session and then dis-
cussed. No decision can be made on it before the period of time stipulated in the
Constitution has lapsed and before the approval of the Council of Ministers. - The electoral constituency is the governorate.
- Until the parliament has laid down an electoral bill which is free from sectar-
ian restraints, the parliamentary seats will be distributed along the following lines:
a. equal numbers for Christians and Muslims.
b. proportionally among the sects of the two groups.
c. proportionally among the regions. - The number of the deputies will be increased to 108 equally divided between
Christians and Muslims. The new posts created on the basis of this document and the
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