Lebanon’s New Government Wins Confidence Vote After Apparent Snub to Hezbollah’s Military Role
Lebanon’s parliament on Wednesday approved the new government led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Ninety-five out of the 128 lawmakers voted in favor of Lebanon’s first full-fledged government since 2022.
The new government, formed last month following the devastating Israel-Hezbollah war, faces urgent challenges, including economic reforms, postwar reconstruction, and enforcing a fragile ceasefire with Israel.
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Salam, a former judge at the International Court of Justice, pledged to prioritize financial recovery and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. His government’s policy statement omitted references to “armed resistance” that were found in previous statements and were seen as legitimizing Hezbollah’s independent military role in the country. Salam instead emphasized that only Lebanon’s armed forces should decide matters of war and peace.
The apparent rebuke of Hezbollah’s military role comes after the group was significantly weakened throughout the recent war with Israel. Much of Hezbollah’s military arsenal was destroyed, and the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, as were many other senior figures.
Hezbollah did not initially support Salam’s appointment, but its parliamentary leader, Mohammad Raad, announced the group’s backing of Salam on Tuesday. Other parties aligned with Hezbollah also voted in favor, while the Free Patriotic Movement voted in opposition and some other parties abstained.
Salam also stressed his government’s commitment to fighting corruption and implementing long-overdue judicial and banking reforms, signaling a shift in Lebanon’s approach to governance.
