_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet; note—by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Arabic—Majlis Alnuwab, French—Assemblee Nationale)
_#_Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Umar KARAMI (since 20
December 1990)
_#_Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations; most parties have well-armed militias, which are still involved in occasional clashes
_#_Suffrage: compulsory for all males at age 21; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
_#_Elections:
National Assembly—elections should be held every four years but security conditions have prevented elections since May 1972