# Cabinet of Nawaf Salam

The new government of Lebanon was formed on 8 February 2025 after the election of former ICJ president Nawaf Salam as prime minister of Lebanon on 13 January. Salam's cabinet succeeded Najib Mikati's third cabinet, which had served in a caretaker capacity since May 2022.

## Election

In the wake of the election of Joseph Aoun as president of Lebanon on 9 January 2025, multiple opposition MPs reached a consensus on nominating Salam as Prime Minister. His candidacy is supported by many Western and Arab states, who call for his nomination, against current caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati. The Hezbollah-led alliance backed Najib Mikati to maintain his premiership. Other candidates included Fouad Makhzoumi, who initially had the backing of opposition MPs, former Interior Minister Ashraf Rifi and Beirut MP Ibrahim Mneimneh. On 13 January 2025, Salam was nominated by 84 out of 128 MPs, making him the Prime Minister-designate of Lebanon. MPs from the Lebanese Forces, the Free Patriotic Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party, the National Compatibility Bloc, Tashnag, the Renewal Bloc, Islamic Group and the opposition nominated Salam, while MPs from Hezbollah and Amal did not nominate anyone as they were last to announce their vote while Salam had an absolute majority.
Hezbollah lawmakers attempted to postpone the election as they saw the momentum building behind Salam; this was rejected by Joseph Aoun. According to a source to Reuters, Hezbollah believed a political understanding had been reached on Mikati's election before the group agreed to elect Aoun the previous week. Hezbollah's parliamentary leader Mohammad Raad stated that Hezbollah "extended its hand" by helping to secure Aoun's election only to find the "hand cut off" accusing the opposition of fragmentation and exclusion from power in Lebanon. Salam and Aoun's election is seen as a manifestation of Iran’s and Hezbollah's diminished influence in Lebanese politics, partly due to Hezbollah’s losses in the recent conflict with Israel and the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. On 26 February 2025, Lebanon's government of Nawaf Salam won a confidence vote in parliament.

## Composition

Lebanese Government of February 2025 :
| Portfolio (ministry) | Minister | Political affiliation | Religious affiliation |
| Presidential Share (3/24) ||||
| Minister of Defense | Michel Menassa | Independent | Greek Orthodox |
| Minister of Information | Paul Morcos | Independent | Greek Catholic |
| Minister of Telecommunications | Charles el-Hajj | Lebanese Forces Affiliated | Maronite |
| Prime Minister Shares (9/24) ||||
| Prime Minister | Nawaf Salam | Independent | Sunni |
| Deputy Prime Minister | Tarek Mitri | Independent | Greek Orthodox |
| Minister of Interior and Municipalities | Ahmad al-Hajjar | Independent | Sunni |
| Minister of Social Affairs | Hanine Sayyed | Independent | Sunni |
| Minister of Education and Higher Learning | Rima Karami | Independent | Sunni |
| Minister of Economy and Trade | Amer Bisat | Independent | Sunni |
| Minister of Culture | Ghassan Salame | Independent | Greek Catholic |
| Minister of Tourism | Laura Khazen Lahoud | Independent | Maronite |
| Minister of Administrative Development | Fadi Makki | Independent | Shia |
| Strong Republic Bloc Share (4/24) ||||
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants | Youssef Rajji | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Minister of Industry | Joe Issa el-Khoury | Lebanese Forces | Maronite |
| Minister of Energy and Water | Joe Saddi | Lebanese Forces | Greek Orthodox |
| Minister of Displaced | Kamal Chehadeh | Lebanese Forces | Protestant |
| State Minister for Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence | Kamal Chehadeh | Lebanese Forces | Protestant |
| Democratic Gathering Bloc Share (2/24) ||||
| Minister of Public Works and Transport | Fayez Rasamny | Progressive Socialist Party | Druze |
| Minister of Agriculture | Nizar Hani | Progressive Socialist Party | Druze |
| Kataeb Bloc Share (1/24) ||||
| Minister of Justice | Adel Nassar | Kataeb Party | Maronite |
| Tashnag Bloc Share (1/24) ||||
| Minister of Youth and Sports | Nora Bayrakdarian | Tashnag Party | Armenian Orthodox |
| Development and Liberation Bloc Share (2/24) ||||
| Minister of Finance | Yassine Jaber | Amal Movement | Shia |
| Minister of Environment | Tamara el-Zein | Amal Movement | Shia |
| Loyalty to Resistance Bloc Share (2/24) ||||
| Minister of Public Health | Rakan Nasreddine | Hezbollah | Shia |
| Minister of Labour | Mohammad Haidar | Hezbollah | Shia |