What does the Lebanese Constitution say about rights, the president, parliament, the government and how it is amended?

Article 7 makes all Lebanese equal before the law, with the same civil and political rights and the same public duties. The rule names Lebanese only. Article 13 guarantees freedom of opinion in speech and writing, of the press, of assembly and of association, within the limits of the law.

Art. 7 الدستور اللبنانيArt. 13 الدستور اللبناني

حرية ابداء الرأي قولا وكتابة وحرية الطباعة وحرية الاجتماع وحرية تأليف الجمعيات كلها مكفولة ضمن دائرة القانون.

Article 9 makes freedom of belief absolute. The state respects all religions and sects and protects religious rites, provided public order is not disturbed. It also guarantees each community respect for its personal-status system and religious interests.

Art. 9 الدستور اللبناني

حرية الاعتقاد مطلقة. والدولة بتأديتها فروض الاجلال لله تعالى تحترم جميع الاديان والمذاهب وتكفل حرية اقامة الشعائر الدينية تحت حمايتها على ان لا يكون في ذلك اخلال في النظام العام وهي تضمن ايضا للاهلين اختلاف مللهم احترام نظام الاحوال الشخصية والمصالح الدينية.

Article 24 limits the equality in Article 7 for parliament. Until the Chamber passes an electoral law outside sectarian restriction, seats are split equally between Christians and Muslims. They are also shared proportionally among the sects of each group and among the regions.

Art. 24 الدستور اللبنانيArt. 7 الدستور اللبناني

Article 95 drops the sectarian quota in public posts, the judiciary, military and security bodies, and public and mixed institutions. Specialisation and competence apply there. First-category posts and their equivalents are excluded from that rule. They are split equally between Christians and Muslims, and no post is reserved for any sect.

Art. 95 الدستور اللبناني

Article 16 gives legislative power to one body, the Chamber of Deputies. Article 65 vests executive power in the Council of Ministers, and the armed forces are subject to the Council.

Art. 16 الدستور اللبنانيArt. 65 الدستور اللبناني

Under Article 49, the Chamber of Deputies elects the President by secret ballot. The first round needs a two-thirds majority. Later rounds need an absolute majority. The term lasts 6 years, and a President can be re-elected only 6 years after the term ends.

Art. 49 الدستور اللبناني

Article 49 bars judges and first-category officials from election while in office and for 2 years after they resign and actually leave office, or retire. The bar also covers their equivalents in public administrations, public institutions and other public-law bodies. The same article allows, once and by way of exception, the election of a judge or first-category official.

Art. 49 الدستور اللبناني

كما انه لا يجوز انتخاب القضاة وموظفي الفئة الاولى, وما يعادلها في جميع الادارات العامة والمؤسسات العامة وسائر الاشخاص المعنويين في القانون العام مدة قيامهم بوظيفتهم وخلال السنتين اللتين تليان تاريخ استقالتهم وانقطاعهم فعليا عن وظيفتهم او تاريخ احالتهم على التقاعد.

خلافا لأحكام الفقرتين الثانية والثالثة من هذه المادة يجوز لمرة واحدة انتخاب رئيس الجمهورية من القضاة أو موظفي الفئة الأولى، وما يعادلها في جميع الإدارات العامة والمؤسسات العامة وسائر الأشخاص المعنويين في القانون العام.

Article 54 requires the Prime Minister and the competent minister or ministers to co-sign the President's decisions. Only the decree naming the Prime Minister and the decree accepting the government's resignation, or deeming it resigned, are exempt. The Prime Minister co-signs decrees promulgating laws.

Art. 54 الدستور اللبناني

The President commands the armed forces, which Article 49 and Article 65 place under the authority of the Council of Ministers.

Art. 49 الدستور اللبنانيArt. 65 الدستور اللبناني

Article 76 lets the President propose an amendment, and the government then submits the draft law to the Chamber. Under Article 77, at least 10 deputies may propose an amendment during an ordinary session. The Chamber adopts their proposal by two-thirds of its statutory membership.

Art. 76 الدستور اللبنانيArt. 77 الدستور اللبناني

يمكن اعادة النظر في الدستور بناء على اقتراح رئيس الجمهورية فتقدم الحكومة مشروع القانون الى مجلس النواب.

Article 79 sets the decisive vote. The Chamber may debate or vote on an amendment draft only with two-thirds of its statutory members present, and it passes the draft by that majority. Article 77 uses the same measure for the initial proposal.

Art. 79 الدستور اللبنانيArt. 77 الدستور اللبناني