Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, during an interview with L’Orient-Le Jour on Jan. 28, 2026, at the Grand Serail. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L’Orient-Le Jour)
In the halls of the Grand Serail, there is little visible sign of change. The polished marble facades, the curated collection of paintings lining the walls, and the ever-present protocol team all look the same.It was on these steps that Lebanon declared its independence on Nov. 22, 1943. It is also here that successive Sunni political families presided over the executive branch, like Solh, Karameh and Hariri.The pattern hasn't changed. Nawaf Salam, former judge at the International Court of Justice and grandson of Salim, cousin of Tamam, took his place at the head of government one year ago. Yet behind the palace’s timeless calm, something has changed.Since Jan. 13, 2025, a sense of urgency has crept into the Serail. Salam is in a hurry, and it shows.“We don’t have the luxury of time,” says a close associate. Looking back As Feb....
In the halls of the Grand Serail, there is little visible sign of change. The polished marble facades, the curated collection of paintings lining the walls, and the ever-present protocol team all look the same.It was on these steps that Lebanon declared its independence on Nov. 22, 1943. It is also here that successive Sunni political families presided over the executive branch, like Solh, Karameh and Hariri.The pattern hasn't changed. Nawaf Salam, former judge at the International Court of Justice and grandson of Salim, cousin of Tamam, took his place at the head of government one year ago. Yet behind the palace’s timeless calm, something has changed.Since Jan. 13, 2025, a sense of urgency has crept into the Serail. Salam is in a hurry, and it shows.“We don’t have the luxury of time,” says a close associate. Looking back...
'American sponsorship is a guarantee,' says Lebanese-American coordination committee