Lebanon’s PM announces new government

Lebanon’s prime minister named a new government on Saturday, February 8, the presidency announced, with the weakening of long-dominant Hezbollah bringing to a close a two-year period of rule by caretaker authorities.

Premier Nawaf Salam said he hoped to head a “government of reform and salvation,” pledging to rebuild trust with the international community after a devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, and years of economic collapse blamed on corruption and mismanagement.

His new government faces the daunting task of implementing reforms needed to unlock funding from international donors after years of economic crisis, overseeing a fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and rebuilding the country.

President Joseph Aoun signed a decree “to form a government of 24 ministers,” the presidency said in a post on X. It also announced two other decrees, in which the newly appointed president “accepted the resignation of (caretaker) prime minister Najib Mikati’s government” and formally appointed “Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to form the government.”

Lebanon’s incoming government includes five women as well as well-known figures like Ghassan Salame, a former United Nations envoy to Libya.

Long the dominant force in Lebanese politics, Hezbollah suffered staggering losses in a war with Israel that saw its leader Hassan Nasrallah killed in a massive air strike in September. Hezbollah suffered another seismic blow with the ouster on December 8 of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which it had long used as its weapons lifeline from Iran.

After more than two years of political stalemate, the weakening of Hezbollah allowed former army chief Aoun, widely believed to be Washington’s preferred candidate, to be elected president and Salam approved as his premier.

‘Brighter chapter’

Political deadlock had left Lebanon without a president for more than two years until Aoun’s election. Nawaf formed a government in less than a month in a country where such endeavours often take months of political horse trading.

The United Nations welcomed the formation of a new government in Lebanon. The office of UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, welcomed “today’s government formation heralds a new and brighter chapter for Lebanon.”

Salam has said his government would exclude political party members and anyone planning to run in parliamentary elections. He said he named his ministers after consulting with leaders in a country where power has long been shared according to sectarian quotas.

Before the new government can exercise its powers, it needs to draft a ministerial statement that must be submitted to a confidence vote in parliament within 30 days.

Lebanon’s 128-seat parliament is mostly dominated by traditional, sectarian-based parties. The new government will have to review agreements, including with the International Monetary Fund and prepare for parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.

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