Lebanon's Nawaf Salam Appointed Prime Minister with 85 Votes, Dealing Blow to Hezbollah

Jan 13, 2025, 04:06 PM

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun has officially appointed Nawaf Salam, the President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as the country's new Prime Minister after he secured 85 votes out of 128 in parliament on Monday. His selection follows Joseph Aoun's election as President four days prior and ends a two-year political vacuum in Lebanon. Salam's appointment is viewed as a setback for Hezbollah, which had supported the incumbent Prime Minister Najib Mikati to remain in office and accused opponents of attempting to exclude it from power. Known for being reform-minded and anti-corruption, Salam is anticipated to address Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis.