Nawaf Salam named Lebanon’s new prime minister

BEIRUT,— Lebanon’s newly elected President Gen. Joseph Aoun has tapped seasoned diplomat and jurist Nawaf Salam to form the country’s new government, marking a significant political shift. Salam, nominated Monday with backing from a broad majority in parliament, faces formidable challenges in addressing Lebanon’s economic crisis and political divisions.

Salam, 71, currently serves as president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). His candidacy, endorsed by Western-backed factions and independents, signals potential change in a nation long mired in political stagnation. However, the move has drawn criticism from Hezbollah and its allies, who abstained from naming a candidate for the premiership.

The nomination follows last week’s election of Aoun, Lebanon’s army commander, as president after a two-year vacancy. Salam, a member of a prominent Sunni Muslim family in Beirut, garnered 84 votes from the 128-member legislature. Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati secured just nine votes, with 34 lawmakers choosing to abstain.

Celebrations erupted in Beirut, with fireworks lighting the night sky, as hopes rose for economic recovery and political stability. Salam’s supporters view him as a technocratic leader capable of unlocking billions in foreign aid for Lebanon’s reconstruction.

Salam inherits a nation still reeling from the aftermath of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, which claimed thousands of lives and caused widespread destruction. Lebanon has since grappled with a historic economic meltdown, marked by the collapse of its banking sector and the loss of life savings for many citizens.

“Hezbollah extended its hand by electing Aoun, but it seems that hand was cut off,” said Mohammed Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, signaling tensions over Salam’s U.S.-aligned stance.

A graduate of Harvard Law School, Salam also holds doctorates in political science and history from French institutions. He served as Lebanon’s ambassador to the United Nations from 2007 to 2017 before being elected to the ICJ in 2018 and later becoming its president in 2022—the first Lebanese national to hold the position.

Salam’s family legacy includes his late uncle, Saeb Salam, a pivotal figure in Lebanon’s independence movement and a former prime minister. His cousin, Tammam Salam, also served as prime minister from 2014 to 2016.

Salam is expected to return to Lebanon shortly for consultations with President Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at the presidential palace in Baabda. Discussions will center on forming a new cabinet, a process likely to test Lebanon’s fractious political landscape.

It remains unclear whether Salam will step down from his ICJ post to focus on his new role. Independent legislator Paula Yacoubian said in a statement, “I support Nawaf Salam because my support is for Lebanon, and Lebanon alone.”

Salam’s wife, Sahar Baasiri, a journalist and Lebanon’s ambassador to UNESCO, has been a key supporter of his public service career.

The formation of Salam’s government could pave the way for long-awaited foreign investment and aid, offering a lifeline to a nation desperate for economic recovery.

(With files from Reuters)