Lebanon’s PM names new government

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s prime minister named a new government on Saturday, the presidency announced, with the weakening of long-dominant Hezbollah bringing to a close two years of rule by caretaker authorities.

Premier Nawaf Salam said he hoped to head a “government of reform and salvation”, pledging to rebuild trust with the international community after a devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, and years of economic collapse blamed on corruption and mismanagement.

His new government faces the daunting task of implementing reforms needed to unlock funding from international donors after years of economic crisis, overseeing a fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and rebuilding the country. President Joseph Aoun signed a decree “to form a government of 24 ministers”, the presidency said in a post on X.

It also announced two other decrees, in which the newly appointed president “accepted the resignation of (caretaker) prime minister Najib Mikati’s government” and formally appointed “Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to form the government”.

Lebanon’s incoming government includes five women as well as well-known figures like Ghassan Salame, a former United Nations envoy to Libya.

Political deadlock had left Lebanon without a president for more than two years until Aoun’s election. The office of UN special coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert welcomed “today’s government formation heralds a new and brighter chapter for Lebanon”.