Lebanese President Joseph Aoun signed a decree on Saturday, officially accepting the resignation of Najib Mikati’s cabinet and appointing Nawaf Salam as the country’s new prime minister.
After weeks of negotiations, Aoun and Salam finalized the formation of a 24-member cabinet, a process that took over three weeks due to Lebanon’s complex sectarian power-sharing system.
During a press conference, Salam described the new government as a “government of reform and rescue,” stressing that “reform is the only path to true salvation.” He also reaffirmed his commitment to “ensuring security and stability in Lebanon by fully implementing Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement.”
The cabinet formation process faced significant hurdles, particularly regarding the appointment of the final Shiite minister. Tensions escalated following U.S. Deputy Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus’ message to President Aoun, urging him to “exclude Hezbollah from the new government.”
Despite this international pressure, Hezbollah and its allies retained their ministerial positions, maintaining their influence in the new cabinet, similar to previous Lebanese governments.
