ICJ President, Nawaf Salam Named Lebanon’s New Prime Minister
Lebanon’s President has appointed Nawaf Salam, the current President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as the country’s new Prime Minister.
This development comes after a significant shift in the political landscape, particularly with the weakened position of Hezbollah following its devastating war with Israel and the toppling of its ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
President Joseph Aoun officially designated Salam on Monday after securing the backing of a significant majority in parliament. Salam’s appointment ends a two-year-long political deadlock that left Lebanon without a functioning government amid worsening economic turmoil.
Lebanon’s complex sectarian power-sharing system requires that the prime minister be a Sunni Muslim, the president a Maronite Christian, and the parliamentary speaker a Shi’ite Muslim. Salam’s Sunni background satisfies this criterion, but his lack of support from Shi’ite lawmakers is a hurdle he will need to overcome to form a functioning government.
Nawaf Salam brings a distinguished legal and diplomatic career to his new role. Salam earned a doctorate in political science from Sciences Po in Paris, an LLM from Harvard Law School, and a doctorate in history from Sorbonne University. His extensive academic and legal career includes teaching at the American University of Beirut and practicing law at the Takla Law Firm.
Salam served as Lebanon’s ambassador to the UN from 2007 to 2017, during which he presided over the UN Security Council and served as vice president of the General Assembly. His tenure at the UN was marked by advocacy for Lebanon’s security and stability, support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and a firm stance on the implementation of UN resolutions in South Lebanon.
In 2018, Salam was elected as a judge at the ICJ and became its president in February 2024—the first Lebanese and the second Arab to hold the post. His leadership at the ICJ gained global attention as he presided over high-profile cases, including South Africa’s ongoing genocide case against Israel.
Salam inherits a country grappling with one of the world’s worst economic crises since the 19th century.
