Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has designated prominent diplomat and jurist Nawaf Salam as the country’s new prime minister following a majority vote in parliament on Monday. Salam’s nomination marks a potential turning point for the crisis-stricken nation, though it has drawn ire from Hezbollah and its allies.
Salam, 71, currently serves as president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He was nominated for the premiership by Western-backed factions and independent legislators in the Lebanese parliament, with strong support from Saudi Arabia and Western countries. Hezbollah lawmakers abstained from endorsing any candidate for the role.
Salam’s selection comes shortly after the election of President Joseph Aoun, Lebanon’s army commander, following a 26-month vacancy in the presidency. These developments have sparked cautious optimism about breaking the country’s political stalemate.
Lebanon is grappling with the aftermath of a devastating 14-month conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which claimed 4,000 lives, left over 16,000 wounded, and caused widespread destruction. The war ended in November under a U.S.-brokered truce. Salam’s government will face the dual challenge of reconstruction and addressing Lebanon’s five-year economic collapse, one of the worst in modern history.
Celebrations erupted in parts of Beirut following Salam’s nomination, with fireworks lighting the night sky. Many hope his leadership, coupled with Aoun’s presidency, will unlock billions of dollars in foreign aid and investment.
Hezbollah, weakened by the war and its diminished influence, has historically opposed Salam’s political rise, labeling him a U.S.-backed candidate. Mohammed Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, criticized Salam’s nomination, suggesting it undermines cooperation.
Raad warned that Hezbollah would monitor Salam’s actions closely, particularly regarding reconstruction efforts, prisoner returns, and implementing U.N. Security Council resolutions.
A member of a prominent Sunni Muslim family in Beirut, Salam boasts an impressive academic and professional pedigree. He holds doctorates in political science and history from France’s Sciences Po and Sorbonne University, respectively, as well as a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School.
Salam has served as Lebanon’s ambassador to the United Nations (2007–2017) and was elected as a judge to the ICJ in 2018, becoming its president in 2022. He is married to journalist Sahar Baasiri, Lebanon’s ambassador to UNESCO.
Salam, currently abroad, is expected to return to Lebanon to begin forming a cabinet. A meeting between President Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri, and Salam is scheduled at the presidential palace in Baabda.
It remains unclear whether Salam will step down from his ICJ role.
Lebanon’s citizens, many of whom have suffered from lost savings amid the banking sector’s collapse, are watching closely, hoping that Salam’s government will bring stability and progress to the beleaguered nation.
AP
