Lebanon forms a government after two years
Beirut (QJ) – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced the formation of a new government after more than two years of political disputes and economic collapse under a caretaker administration.
On Saturday, the presidency stated that it accepted the resignation of the caretaker government and appointed Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister along with a new 24-member cabinet, marking Lebanon’s first fully operational government since 2022.
The cabinet has been tasked with drafting a political declaration outlining the government’s approach and priorities. It will then need a parliamentary vote of confidence for full authority.
Salam, a diplomat and former President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), pledged to reform Lebanon’s judiciary, implement economic reforms, and restore stability.
Speaking at the presidential palace, he stated that Lebanon would enforce UN Resolution 1701, which ended a 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. He called for the removal of Hezbollah and other armed groups from the Litani River region near the Israeli border.
The new Lebanese government signals a move away from Hezbollah-aligned leaders, as Beirut hopes to secure reconstruction funding and investments after last year’s war with Israel and to recover from its ongoing economic crisis since 2019.
Although Hezbollah did not initially endorse Salam as Prime Minister, the group negotiated for representation through Shia Muslim cabinet seats under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system.
The former military commander, Aoun—who is not supported by Hezbollah and its key allies—was elected president in January, filling a long-vacant position.
The announcement followed a call by Morgan Ortagus, the U.S. Deputy Envoy for the Middle East, for Hezbollah’s exclusion from the Lebanese government, warning that its presence in the cabinet was a “red line” for Washington.
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon welcomed the new government, expressing hope for reforms and rebuilding state institutions.
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, also welcomed the announcement, describing it as the start of a “bright new chapter” for Lebanon.