Lebanese president appoints ICJ judge Nawaf Salam to form govt
BEIRUT
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has named International Court of Justice (ICJ) judge Nawaf Salam to lead the formation of a new government after Salam secured the backing of 84 out of 128 members of parliament.
According to a statement by Presidency Director General Antoine Choucair during a press conference in the Lebanese capital Beirut, the Lebanese president invited Salam to form the country’s new government.
Choucair confirmed that Salam, who is currently abroad, is expected to return to Lebanon on Jan. 14 to commence the government formation process. He also noted that nine lawmakers voted in favor of caretaker Premier Najib Mikati as an alternative candidate.
The appointment initiates Lebanon's often prolonged government formation process, shaped by its unique power-sharing framework.
As stipulated by the Lebanese Constitution, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Christian and the parliamentary speaker a Shia Muslim.
Salam's nomination follows a prolonged two-year political deadlock, during which Lebanon faced deepening political division and a deteriorating economic crisis.
Aoun's election last week marked a turning point, as he succeeded Michel Aoun, who left office in October 2022.
Joseph Aoun, a former army commander, is now the fifth military leader in Lebanon's history to assume the presidency.