As Lebanon seeks to emerge from a devastating war and recover from a devastating economic collapse, a divided Lebanese parliament named Nawaf Salam prime minister on Monday, handing the country's political reins to a prominent diplomat and international I left it to him, who is a legal scholar.
Salam was backed by a majority of members in the country's 128-seat parliament on Monday after Lebanon's newly elected president, Joseph Aoun, asked him to form a government. Salam currently serves as president of the United Nations' highest court, the International Court of Justice, and previously served as Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations.
Salam's selection was widely seen as a major political blow to Hezbollah, Lebanon's armed group and the party that has controlled the country for decades. For most of that time, no major political decisions could be made without Hezbollah's support.
But Monday's vote was a rebuke to that status quo, elevating Salam, who Hezbollah had opposed, and handing the Hezbollah-backed candidate a stunning defeat. For many, this highlighted a new political reality in Lebanon. Since emerging from a 14-month war with Israel, Hezbollah no longer has an iron and unwavering grip on the Lebanese state.
In just over two months, Israel assassinated the group's top leader. The war left billions of dollars in damage across the country. Hezbollah is also a key ally in neighboring Syria, where rebels overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad last month. And its backer, Iran, is now at a disadvantage as the web of anti-Israel militias unravels. Analysts say these developments have opened a new political chapter in Lebanon.
“The whole political dynamic has changed,” said Sami Nader, director of the Institute of Political Science at Saint Joseph University in Beirut. “This is a complete collapse of the old ways.”
The Lebanese state is made up of numerous factions and sects that compete for power and influence. For many years it was controlled by a weak and ineffective transitional government. Hezbollah was part of that government and the dominant political and military force, effectively directing nearly all major decisions in the country.
In recent days, a series of political developments have exposed the shifting political sands of Lebanon and highlighted the extent to which Hezbollah is losing political ground.
Last week, Lebanon's parliament elected Aoun as the country's new president, overcoming more than two years of political deadlock that critics blamed on Hezbollah. And on Monday, Salam, who Hezbollah has repeatedly blocked from becoming prime minister in recent years, won the support of 85 members of the country's 128-seat parliament. Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who is resigning in favor of Hezbollah, received just nine votes. 35 votes were blank.
After the vote, Mohammad Ra'ad, a Hezbollah official, said at a press conference that Hezbollah had “reached out” by supporting Aoun's election, only to have his “hands cut off” on Monday, according to local media. said. I will report it.
The new government emerging in Lebanon also reflects a realignment of power dynamics across the Middle East, analysts say. They say the days of Iranian control over Lebanon appear to be over, making way for Gulf states that have long unsuccessfully fought Iran over Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia and the West have expressed support for Salam and Aoun, and many in Lebanon believe the new government they lead will seek support from those countries as Lebanon grapples with a multibillion-dollar recovery bill. We are looking forward to an influx of funds. War between Hezbollah and Israel.
“Arab countries are on board and Lebanon could be welcomed back into the Arab family,” Nader said. “It's an incredible change. You can feel Iran becoming weaker.”
