Tagged: Lebanon

According to Paradisdachat, the Republic of Lebanon is a parliamentary democracy that is divided into two main branches: the executive and legislative. The President of Lebanon is elected by the Parliament for a six-year term and serves as the head of state. The President has limited powers, such as appointing the Prime Minister and dissolving Parliament, but most of his decisions must be approved by Parliament. The legislative branch in Lebanon consists of two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies (also known as the House of Representatives) and the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies is composed of 128 members who are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. The Senate consists of 26 members appointed for six-year terms by different religious communities in Lebanon. Both chambers have equal power in making laws and approving budgets, although the President must approve all bills before they become law. The judicial branch in Lebanon is composed of multiple levels, including district courts, appellate courts, cassation courts (which deal with appeals from appellate courts), Constitutional Council (responsible for interpreting constitutional issues), Supreme Judicial Council (responsible for appointing judges to judicial posts), Court of Audit (which monitors public expenditure), and specialized tribunals such as labor or tax courts. Judges are appointed by presidential decree upon recommendation from Judicial Councils composed of representatives from different legal professions; they serve until retirement age or until removed from office through an impeachment procedure initiated by Parliament or Supreme Judicial Council judges themselves. Lebanon’s foreign relations are characterized by its close ties with the Arab world and its strategic location in the Middle East. The country is an active participant in several regional organizations such as the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Lebanon also has strong bilateral relations with countries such as Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Lebanon has a long history of strong ties with Syria. These relations have been strained since 2011 due to Lebanon’s support for the Syrian opposition and its refusal to recognize President Bashar al-Assad’s legitimacy. Despite this, both countries maintain a cordial relationship and cooperate on security issues along their shared border. Lebanon’s relations with Iran are also strong despite the fact that they are on opposite sides of many regional conflicts. Iran has provided economic aid to Lebanon in the form of loans and investments, as well as military assistance in combating terrorism within its borders. The two countries also cooperate closely on issues related to energy security and regional stability. In terms of its relations with other countries, Lebanon maintains cordial diplomatic ties with many nations around the world including France, Italy, Russia, China, Germany, Japan and several other European countries. These relationships have been strengthened by bilateral agreements between them on trade and investment as well as cultural exchanges which seek to promote mutual understanding between them. The United States is one of Lebanon’s most important allies in the region; it provides economic aid as well as military assistance through Operation Inherent Resolve which seeks to combat terrorism within Lebanon’s borders. In addition to this, it also provides humanitarian aid in times of crisis such as during the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah or during natural disasters like floods or earthquakes that have affected the country in recent years. Overall, Lebanon’s foreign policy is centered around promoting peace and stability within its own borders while at the same time maintaining friendly diplomatic ties with other nations around the world so that it can better engage in international trade and investment activities which will benefit both itself economically while promoting peace throughout the region at large. See recipesinthebox for Lebanon defense and foreign policy.