ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the nature of the state under the French Mandate outlining the first Lebanese Constitution of 1926 and the role of the 18 officially-recognized sects. It discusses the struggle for independence and the resultant National Pact of 1943. The Pact is discussed in detail to illustrate Lebanon’s unique power-sharing formula. The result of demographic changes and Palestinian issues on the sectarian relations are examined, demonstrating the recurring sectarian crisis within the Lebanese consociational model.
