Prime Minister Nawaf Salam upon his arrival at the presidential palace to attend the first meeting of the new government in Baabda, on Feb. 11, 2025. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
BEIRUT — In his first televised interview as prime minister, aired on Lebanon’s official channel, Nawaf Salam stated, “I will focus on one statistic that is close to my heart: 69 percent of young people want to emigrate, and 75.6 percent have only one hope, which is to leave the country. This is the trend we want to reverse.”
Salam was tasked with forming a government in January following Joseph Aoun’s election as president. On Saturday, he officially announced the Cabinet's lineup.
Many questions centered on Hezbollah’s weakening during the recent war and the possibility of Lebanon regaining full sovereignty over its territory. “I understand that people don’t have confidence because they’ve lost it for years. I am confident we will succeed, but the population must give us time. We are on the right path,” Salam said.
Regarding the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 — which, among other things, calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament — he said: “First, it is necessary to implement the Taif Agreement, which emphasizes that the state must assert its authority over its entire territory, even before 1701. The disarmament south of the Litani should have been completed years ago, and the inhabitants of the South are paying the heavy price today.”
Adopted in 2006, Resolution 1701 serves as the basis for the cease-fire agreement reached on Nov. 27 between Lebanon and Israel. Asked what Lebanon would do if Israel failed to withdraw from South Lebanon by the Feb. 18 deadline, Salam said: “We insist on an Israeli withdrawal on time and will use all diplomatic means to achieve this. Lebanon has fulfilled all its commitments under this cease-fire.”
He added: “All communities and parties have made losing bets in the past since the 1950s. Enough of betting on foreign powers — it’s time to bet on each other, respect the Constitution, and establish a state.”
Cabinet composition criteria
Salam answered several questions about how he selected his ministers, balancing competence and political considerations.
“The four criteria I set are not in the Constitution, but they seemed essential to me: separating parliamentary and governmental roles — because otherwise, the government would be a mini-parliament; asking ministers not to run for elections to ensure their neutrality; choosing non-partisans to maintain government cohesion; and selecting highly qualified individuals.”
Why, then, consider political balance? “Because this team must gain Parliament’s confidence, so its ministers must be acceptable, even if they are non-partisan.”
Addressing the exclusion of certain parties that backed him — such as the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Marada and National Moderation bloc — Salam said these groups sought to impose criteria different from his own.
“The FPM had its own calculations based on the size of parliamentary blocs, which complicated discussions, especially since its leader, Gebran Bassil, constantly criticized my criteria. The National Moderation bloc proposed names based on local representation, but I preferred those I selected for their expertise.”
Asked why he ultimately allocated the Finance Ministry to Amal-Hezbollah despite initially advocating for ministerial rotation — particularly of sovereign portfolios — Salam said: “A large community in the country is emerging from this war feeling broken. If we had changed the status quo today, they would have interpreted it as a defeat. But this is not an immutable rule, and no portfolio is consecrated by the Taif Agreement or tradition to a particular community.”
Financial reforms a priority
Salam emphasized reforms, asserting that depositors’ bank funds would not be written off. “Of course, the ministerial statement will include a reference to this essential issue,” he said.
He added: “Lebanon has not previously taken financial reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund seriously, even though we must negotiate better terms. Capital controls have not been implemented. Banking secrecy has not been properly addressed. And we still need to restructure the banking sector.”
He insisted that “financial reforms must be accompanied by political reforms, particularly judicial reform.” “This is the foundation of everything. We need an independent judiciary,” he said.
Regarding the Taif Agreement, Salam stressed the need to enforce it fully, particularly its provisions on expanded administrative decentralization. “We must stop scaring people with talk of a committee for abolishing political sectarianism — its mission was only to study how to do so. We need to re-explain the Constitution to the public.”
On Lebanon’s international relations, Salam said it was time to restore ties with Arab countries.
“They have all returned, but they ask us to implement reforms before they can help us. We must strengthen this reconciliation with our Arab surroundings and regain the confidence of the world,” he said.
He pledged to oversee the reconstruction of South Lebanon, denying that foreign aid was conditional. He noted that the World Bank now estimates the cost of destruction at $10 billion to $11 billion.
Asked about U.S. statements on the potential deportation of Palestinians, Salam said: “The mere idea of deporting Palestinians to Jordan, Egypt, or elsewhere is unacceptable, and I have already said so. We can only counter this with stronger Arab solidarity. The alternative remains a two-state solution, as expressed in Beirut in 2002.”
Salam also said he was prepared to visit Syria to address outstanding issues, including border demarcation, the refugee crisis, and smuggling. “There is a real opportunity for Syrians to return home,” he said.
Finally, the prime minister voiced support for reforming Lebanon’s electoral law.