# Lebanon's Power-Sharing Formula Creaks

> Lebanon's power-sharing system, once a global conflict resolution model, now faces collapse under Israeli-Hezbollah tensions.
- Title: Lebanon's Power-Sharing Formula Creaks · The Conversation
- Summary: Lebanon's power-sharing system, once a global conflict resolution model, now faces collapse under Israeli-Hezbollah tensions.
- Keywords: lebanon, power-sharing agreements, israel-hezbollah, lebanon politics, lebanon civil war, hezbollah, disarmament, The Conversation
- Source: The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/lebanons-power-sharing-formula-was-once-a-model-for-conflict-resolution-now-it-is-creaking-293991
- Author: Tamirace Fakhoury
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: lebanon, power-sharing agreements, israel-hezbollah, lebanon politics, lebanon civil war, hezbollah, disarmament, science, ideas
## Prime Minister's UN Speech
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and Israel's withdrawal in UN General Assembly speech.

> No one speaks on behalf of Lebanon
## State Authority Gap
Many Lebanese see a gap between the government's claims of state authority and the violence in their south.
## Power-Sharing System
Lebanon's power-sharing formula divides political authority among 18 sectarian communities since 1943 and 1989.
## Power-Sharing Model
Lebanon's system inspired global conflict resolution theory developed by Arend Lijphart in the 1960s.
## Risk of Disarmament
Hezbollah refuses to disarm despite UN Security Resolution 1559 and the 2026 trilateral framework with Israel.
## Disarmament Deadlock
Hezbollah demands full Israeli withdrawal while Israel requires Hezbollah's disarmament and security guarantees.
## Risk of Transactional Politics
Political elites and mediators prioritize quick fixes over reforms in Lebanon's power-sharing system.
## Risk of Social Breakdown
Over a million displaced people from southern Lebanon test intercommunal coexistence in crisis.
## Power-Sharing Strain
Lebanon's power-sharing system faces strain from Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and internal displacement.
## Taif Agreement Anniversary
The Taif Agreement, Lebanon's power-sharing framework, turns 37 on November 4, 2026.
## Key takeaway

Lebanon's 80-year power-sharing formula, designed to manage sectarian divisions, is cracking under Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and internal displacement.