ICJ judge Nawaf Salam appointed as Lebanon Prime Minister by President Joseph Aoun

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).

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.

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)