Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has summoned Judge Nawaf Salam, the head of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to appoint him as prime minister following his nomination by a majority of lawmakers on Monday.

According to the Lebanese presidency, Salam, who is currently abroad and expected to return on Tuesday, received the support of 84 out of 128 members of parliament.

Lebanese media reported that nine lawmakers have endorsed Najib Mikati, who has been serving as caretaker prime minister, while four lawmakers abstained from voting.

Lebanese lawmakers Fouad Makhzoumi and Ibrahim Mneimneh had withdrawn their candidacies for the premiership in favor of Salam, leaving the latter and Mikati as the only contenders for the position.

Meanwhile, the Loyalty to the Resistance (Hezbollah) and Development and Liberation (Amal Movement) blocs did not nominate anyone for the premiership.

Process may take some time

However, the nomination of a prime minister does not necessarily ensure the swift formation of a new government. 

In the past, the process has often been prolonged, sometimes taking weeks or even months, due to entrenched political divisions and extensive negotiations.

Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc leader, MP Mohammad Raad accused the group’s opponents of attempting to marginalize and exclude it from power in Lebanon.

Speaking at the presidential palace after Hezbollah lawmakers met with Aoun, Raad noted that Hezbollah had "extended its hand" by facilitating Aoun's election but had found its gesture met with rejection.

Raad said Hezbollah would follow the next steps and "proceed with calm and wisdom, out of concern for the national interest, and we will see their actions ... to expel the occupier from our land," referring to the repeated Israeli incursions in southern Lebanese towns, which violates the terms of the ceasefire agreement in place since November 27.

MP Ayoub Hmayed, from the Development and Liberation bloc, explained that refraining from naming any of the proposed candidates was due to the belief that "there should be no contradiction between the Lebanese constitution and coexistence."

The election of Aoun as president last week marked a significant shift in Lebanon's political dynamics. 

On Monday, Aoun consulted with parliament's 128 lawmakers regarding the selection of a prime minister. Under constitutional obligations, he must appoint the candidate who garners the most votes.

The election of Aoun and the designation of Salam represent critical steps toward reviving Lebanon’s government institutions, which have been stalled for over two years, leaving the country without a head of state or a fully functioning cabinet.

Who is Nawaf Salam?

Salam, 71, is a lawyer and judge who served as Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations from 2007 to 2017. 

In 2018, Salam joined the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and was appointed its president on February 6, 2024, for a three-year term, becoming the first Lebanese judge to hold this prestigious position.

He assumed the ICJ presidency as the court convened its first hearing in a case brought by South Africa, accusing "Israel" of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.