How did the Taif Accord change Lebanon’s political system?

The Taif Accord, ratified in 1989, served as the foundational framework for Lebanon’s Second Republic, aiming to restore consociational government and end the Lebanese Civil War.1

Key changes to the political system included:

• Power Redistribution: The authority of the traditionally Maronite president was reduced, shifting more influence to the Sunni prime minister and the Shiʿi speaker of the National Assembly.1
• Equal Representation: The division of parliamentary seats, cabinet posts, and senior administrative positions was adjusted to ensure an equal ratio of Christian and Muslim officials.1
• Confessionalism: The agreement mandated a commitment to the gradual elimination of confessionalism, though in practice, sectarian allegiances often deepened in the post-war era.12
• Governance Structure: Real political power became concentrated in a "troika" of sectarian leaders—the president, prime minister, and speaker—leading to a system where political decisions were largely the result of elite confessional bargaining rather than traditional democratic processes.2

While the accord successfully facilitated the demobilization of militias and the rebuilding of the Lebanese Army, it struggled to overcome the entrenchment of sectarian power bases.12