Lebanon’s president names ICJ judge Nawaf Salam as PM-designate

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun named International Court of Justice (ICJ) judge Nawaf Salam to form a new government, reports anadolu.

The move came after Salam secured the backing of 84 lawmakers in the 128-seat parliament.

The Lebanese president invited Salam to form the country’s new government, Presidency Director General Antoine Choucair told a press conference in Beirut.

Salam is currently outside Lebanon and is set to return on Tuesday, he added.

Choucair said 84 lawmakers supported Salam to form the new government, while nine MPs voted for caretaker Premier Najib Mikati to form the cabinet.

Once the prime minister is designated, the government formation process begins, which can take a long time due to Lebanon's complex political and sectarian landscape.

According to the Lebanese Constitution, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and the parliamentary speaker a Shia Muslim.

Salam’s nomination to form a new government comes after a two-year political vacuum, during which Lebanon struggled with political divisions and worsening economic conditions.

Last week, Lebanon's parliament elected Joseph Aoun as president to succeed Michel Aoun, who left office in October 2022, becoming the fifth army commander in Lebanon's history to transition to the presidency._Agencies.