ICJ president Nawaf Salam appointed Lebanon’s new Prime Minister amid political shake-up

Lebanon gets new anti-Hezbollah PM

Nawaf Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, has been appointed as Lebanon’s new Prime Minister. His selection marks a significant shift in the country’s political landscape.

Majority parliamentary support

Salam, 71, secured the backing of two-thirds of Lebanon’s 128-member parliament during consultations with newly elected President Joseph Aoun. His appointment follows a sectarian power-sharing tradition that reserves the prime minister’s position for a Sunni Muslim. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati received just nine votes in the process.

The presidency announced that Salam would return to Lebanon on Tuesday to assume his new role.

Setback for Hezbollah

The appointment deals a blow to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia militia and political party, which had sought to retain Mikati in the role but ultimately refrained from nominating a candidate. Hezbollah’s influence has waned following its recent conflict with Israel.

Senior Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammed Raad criticized Salam’s appointment, accusing opponents of undermining coexistence and fostering fragmentation. Raad warned that any government not built on the principles of coexistence would lack legitimacy.

Despite this, some of Hezbollah’s Christian and Sunni allies expressed support for Salam. Gebran Bassil, leader of the largest Maronite Christian bloc, described Salam as a “face of reform.” Sunni lawmaker Faisal Karami cited public demands for “change and renewal” and the prospect of international backing for Lebanon as reasons for his endorsement.

A storied background

Nawaf Salam comes from a prominent Sunni family in Beirut with deep political roots. His uncle played a key role in securing Lebanon’s independence from France in 1943 and served multiple terms as prime minister, while his cousin Tammam Salam held the same office from 2014 to 2016.

An accomplished academic and diplomat, Salam holds advanced degrees in political science from Sciences Po, history from the Sorbonne, and law from Harvard. He has taught at various universities and served as Lebanon’s permanent representative to the United Nations from 2007 to 2017.

In 2018, Salam joined the ICJ and was elected its president in February 2023. He currently presides over a high-profile case brought by South Africa, which accuses Israeli forces of genocide in Gaza—a claim Israel has denied as baseless.

Challenges ahead

Salam’s appointment comes as Lebanon faces severe economic and political crises. His leadership will be closely watched as the country seeks stability and international support amid growing public calls for reform.

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