Nawaf Salam.. Who is the President of the International Court of Justice tasked with forming the government in Lebanon?

Salam has written numerous books and studies in the fields of international, constitutional, electoral and Islamic law, in addition to studies on international organizations and international affairs. He speaks English and French fluently and is the father of two. He is married to Sahar Baassiri, a journalist and former Lebanese Ambassador to UNESCO.

He obtained a law degree from the Lebanese University in Beirut in 1984, after which he continued his university studies in Paris and the United States. He holds two doctorates in political science and history. He lectured for years at the American University of Beirut and other universities abroad, including the Sorbonne between 1979 and 1981.

A fateful stage

This was not the first time that Salam's name was mentioned in the media for the premiership in Lebanon. But it was the first time that heavyweight political blocs of different orientations united behind him at a fateful stage in the country's history.

Salam's nomination was mainly supported by political forces opposed to Hezbollah, which was weakened by the recent confrontation with Israel at home. He received the support of 85 deputies out of a total of 128 members of parliament.

Salam is expected to begin his duties without the support of the Shiite blocs in a country whose political system is based on sectarian quotas, after Hezbollah and its ally the Amal Movement abstained from voting for any candidate.

On the other hand, Salam's supporters, especially the political forces opposed to Hezbollah, hope that his arrival to the premiership will be an opportunity to bring about change in the performance of official institutions and turn the page on Hezbollah's control of political life, in addition to implementing the broad headlines announced by President-elect Joseph Aoun in his inauguration speech.

Aoun had pledged on Thursday to "start a new phase" in which the state would have the right to "monopolise the carrying of weapons" and all Lebanese would be "under the rule of law and the judiciary", far from the logic of favoritism and quotas.

Source: AFP