On May 6, 2018, Lebanon held its first legislative elections in nine years. The results showed that parties allied with Hezbollah increased their share of seats from roughly 44% to 53%. However, as in past Lebanese governments, rival parliamentary blocs will likely need to reach consensus in order to secure the passage of major policy initiatives. The 128 seats in Lebanon's parliament, known formally as the Chamber of Deputies, are divided evenly between Christians and Muslims. This reflects Lebanon's broader political system in which power is divided among the country's various religious groups or 'confessions.' In what is referred to as Lebanon's confessional system, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister post for a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of parliament for a Shi'a Muslim. Confessional allotments (in varying proportions) also extend to the division of seats in electoral districts.
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