لبنان « LUBNĀN »
— Officially: الجمهورية اللبنانية « ɔal-Ĝumhūrīaḧ ɔal-Lubnānīaḧ ».
— English: Lebanon.
— Seat of government: بيروت « Bajrūt ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Shared government of an elected parliament, which chooses the official heads of government, and حزب الله « Hizb ɔul-Lah », which has used its significant armed forces to influence governmental outcomes. Since 1943, the official government has been organized according to الميثاق الوطنى « ɔal-Mīþāq ɔal-Ŭatanī », which gives Christians disproportionate representation in parliament, and under which the prime minister is always a سنى « Sun:ī », the president a Christian, and the speaker of parliament a شيعى « Šīcī ».
— Governing parties: حلف 14 آذار « Hilf 14 Ɔāðār »; حلف 8 آذار « Hilf 8 Ɔāðār ».
— Heads of government: سعد الحريرى « Sacd ɔal-Harīrī », prime minister (since 2016); ميشال عون « Mīšajl Cūn », president (since 2016).
— Assessment: Territory in transition, after decades of rule by سوريا « Sūrīā » (1976-2005). The 2000 elections saw opponents of the administration (though not of سوريا « Sūrīā ») make strong gains. As a province de facto of سوريا « Sūrīā » it was destabilized in 2005 by the assassination of former prime minister رفيق الحيري « Rafīq ɔal-Harīrī » (1992-8, 2000-4), who had resigned to oppose the government of سوريا « Sūrīā ». Competing protests on March (آذار « Ɔāðār ») 8, in support of سوريا « Sūrīā », and March 14, opposed to its presence, led to the withdrawal of سوريا « Sūrīā » and has defined politics since. Under popular pressure, the successor of الحيري « ɔal-Harīrī », عمر كرامي « Cumar Karāmī » (1990-2, 2004-5), resigned; the opposition forced a compromise candidate in نجيب ميقاتي « Naĝīb Mīqātī » (2005, 2011-4). New parliamentary elections in 2005 secured a majority for the opposition حلف 14 آذار « Hilf 14 Ɔāðār ». A national-unity administration was then formed, led by فؤاد السنيورة « Fủād ɔal-Sinjūraḧ » (2005-9), including pro-سوريا « Sūrīā » parties, notably حزب الله « Hizb ɔul-Lah » and حركة أمل « Harakaḧ Ɔamal »; they withdrew in 2006, demanding veto power. Earlier in 2006, حزب الله « Hizb ɔul-Lah » prompted a destructive war with ישראל « Jiśraɔel » through a cross-border kidnapping. The presidency, which had been held by اميل لحود « Émile Lahūd » (1998-2007), an appointee of سوريا « Sūrīā », became vacant with the expiration of his term, with parliament unable to reach quorum to elect a successor. That successor was designated as army chief ميشيل سليمان « Michel Sulajmān » (2008-14), but other disagreements held up the final election. Only following violence in 2008 by حزب الله « Hizb ɔul-Lah » did the governing coalition finally yield to its demands for veto power in a restored unity government. Elections in 2009 were won by the حلف 14 آذار « Hilf 14 Ɔāðār »; alliance head (and son of رفيق « Rafīq ») سعد الحريرى « Sacd ɔal-Harīrī » (2009-11, 2016-) became prime minister under a new national-unity government. But the implication of حزب الله « Hizb ɔul-Lah » in the assassination of رفيق الحيري « Rafīq ɔal-Harīrī » led to its withdrawal from the unity government in 2011 and then the return of ميقاتي « Mīqātī », backed by حلف 8 آذار « Hilf 8 Ɔāðār ». In 2013, disagreements over election preparations, aggravated by the war in سوريا « Sūrīā », led to the election of تمام سلام « Tam:ām Salām » (2014-6) with cross-aisle support, but backed primarily by حلف 14 آذار « Hilf 14 Ɔāðār ». In 2016, the vacant presidency was finally filled, and الحريرى « ɔal-Harīrī » returned as prime minister.
— FH: 5-4, partly free (not democratic). Econ: 5.05 (99), hybrid. (For لبنان « Lubnān » as a whole.)
— Updated: 2017 March 26.
O.T. FORD