Nawaf Salam becomes Lebanon's new prime minister

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The Supreme Judge at the International Court of Justice, Nawaf Salam, was surprisingly named as the new prime minister of the crisis -plagued Lebanon. This happened on Monday, when the newly elected president Joseph Aoun Salam asked to form a government. Salam received the support of a majority of MPs during the consultations with AOUN.

political developments in Lebanon

The choice of Aouns and the appointment of Salam mark the end of a more than two -year political blockade, which was characterized by a vacuum in the presidential office and a government that only worked in a provisional function. The talks about the next prime minister were triggered by Aoun's election in parliament on Thursday, which was largely due to strong pressure from Saudi Arabia.

Nawaf Salam: A reformer with international reputation

Salam is generally regarded as a reformist. He is a Sunni Muslim - the only denomination that the office of Prime Minister is allowed to hold - and has been discussed twice in recent years as a candidate for the ministerial office. The judge obtained international fame last year when he was elected President of the International Court of Justice and presided on a lawsuit of South Africa against Israel for genocide and other jurisdiction.

violent reactions and expectations

Some media described Salam's appointment as "tsunami". According to local media reporting, he introduced himself as a candidate on Sunday morning. Before that, the incumbent provisional Prime Minister Najib Mikiki was widely considered the most likely candidate.

political tensions and challenges

Salam's appointment is a setback for the Hizbollah and its allies of Amal, who are known as a Shiite duo and are considered a supporter of Mikatis. The leader of the Hizbollah parliamentary group, Mohammad Raad, told journalists that Salam's appointment "division" brought in in the country and hoped that the cabinet would respect the country's denominational power division. All major denominations of Lebanons - Sunnites, Shiites and Christians - must be represented unofficially in the cabinet.

challenge in government formation

The fact that no Shiite Member of Salam, the designated Prime Minister, has supported, could lead to a potential confrontation while trying to form a government in the next few weeks.