In Tripoli, Salam strikes while the Sunni iron is hot

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Tripoli on Monday for the second time since his Cabinet formation in February. Accompanied by Economy Minister Amer Bsat and Public Works Minister Fayez Rassamny, he toured the Rashid Karami International Fair and the city’s Chamber of Commerce. “The era of action [for Tripoli] has begun,” he said. Beyond its socio-economic aspect, this move carries a political meaning.Salam’s visit to the capital of northern Lebanon came two weeks after the Cabinet’s “historic” decision to affirm the state’s exclusive control over weapons by the end of 2025. This unprecedented move turned Salam into the strongman of the anti-Hezbollah camp, boosting his popularity, especially among the Sunnis, after several months of outspoken anger. Salam seems determined to strike while the iron is hot. Behind his tour in the Sunnis’...