How did the National Pact of 1943 shape power sharing between Lebanese Christians and Muslims?

The National Pact of 1943 was an unwritten power-sharing agreement designed to balance political influence between Lebanese Christians and Muslims. It established a sectarian distribution of the country's highest offices to ensure representation for the major religious communities.1

Under this arrangement:
* The president is required to be a Maronite Christian.1
* The prime minister must be a Sunni Muslim.1
* The speaker of the National Assembly is designated as a Shiʿi Muslim.1

Following the Lebanese Civil War, the Ṭāʾif Accord introduced amendments to this system. These changes shifted significant executive authority from the presidency to a cabinet that is divided equally between Christian and Muslim members, aiming to foster greater political parity.1