Lebanon’s new PM Nawaf Salam raises hopes

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has picked president of International Court of Justice Nawaf Salam as prime minister of the trouble-torn country. Salam comes with impeccable credentials of a competent technocrat.

He comes from a political family which had provided two prime ministers of the country. But he has no political experience in Lebanon. His professional success came abroad though he has started off his academic career at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Experts and common people in Beirut have expressed confidence that Salam is the man who can set things right in a country which had witnessed a succession of disasters from the catastrophic explosion near the Beirut airport of stored ammonia to the financial collapse of Lebanon. People panicked as everything around them crumbled. The observers also say that Salam understands the inner workings of the confrontational political system in Lebanon which has seen power tussle between the Sunnis, Shias and Maronite Christians. Salam would want to rise above the sectarian divisions and restore normalcy in Lebanon.

It will not be an easy task for Salam to implement his policies. But it is believed that he would be able to run the government till 2026 when the next round of national elections are due. He mustered enough votes this time in parliament. He could not do so in 2022. He lost to Najib Mikati, whom he is replacing now. He is being seen as the pro-reform leader of Lebanon, and that he would pursue reforms – political and economic – with enough vigour. Dalal Mawad, a Lebanese journalist and author, told television news channel Al Jazeera, “He represents the aspiration of the October 17 movement. This is a man who has a clear political vision and beliefs.” Salam in his statement on Tuesday said, “We have wasted many opportunities in building a state. Enough wasted opportunities.”

He understands that Lebanon is broken because its political system is divided and its economy is in ruins. And the immediate task is to build the Lebanese state which will provide and order and stability. This is what the Lebanese need immediately.

Karim Emile Bitar, a political analyst and friend of Salam, said the prime minister is the “staunch believer in the rights of the Palestinian people, Lebanon’s Arab identity and in Lebanese national unity. He said Salam wants to forge “a new social contract on the basis of democratic citizenship rather than confessionalsim.” Hilal Khashan, who had worked with Salam at AUB, said, “He understands the Lebanese political system needs to be reformed, and for him, the issues of accountability and transparency and responsibility mean a great deal.”

He seems to be the right candidate to set things right in Lebanon but it remains to be seen how far he will succeed. For many years now, the Hezbollah had been a strong political force. But in the recent clashes with Israel over the war in Gaza, many of its top leaders have been killed. It seems to be in a weakened position.

But it would be wrong to assume that Hezbollah ceases to matter in Lebanese politics. Lebanon is on the brink of collapse, and it needs able hands to avert the meltdown. It looks like Lebanon is in safe hands with Salam.

A stable Lebanon is a key factor in the overall regional balance of the Middle East. The new government in Syria too is in the process of settling down. With Lebanon and Syria returning to quiet waters, the atmosphere in the region would hold out the promise of peace. Lebanon was once a thriving financial centre in the Middle East, and if it is able to recover even a fraction of its former vibrancy, then the Lebanese can hope to breathe easy.