Nawaf Salam, the current presiding judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, has been appointed Lebanon’s new prime minister on Monday (Jan 13). 

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An official statement read, "The president of the republic called on Judge Nawaf Salam to task him with forming a government, knowing that he is currently abroad. It has been decided he will return tomorrow."

On Monday, President Joseph Aoun formally requested Salam to form a new government after the majority of lawmakers backed him during consultations. According to a tally reported by Lebanese media, Salam emerged as the leading candidate, surpassing others, including the caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati.

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By Monday afternoon, 78 members of the 128-seat parliament had endorsed Salam, while only nine supported Mikati. Though Salam had the parliamentary majority, the ultimate decision rested with the president.

Under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of parliament a Shiite Muslim. As a Sunni Muslim, Salam meets the requirement for the role of prime minister. This is not his first bid for the position, having been a candidate twice before.

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Salam gained international recognition last year when he was elected as head of the ICJ, where he presided over a case involving South Africa’s accusations of genocide against Israel.

(With inputs from agencies)