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Lebanon Parliament Approves Nawaf Salam Government by 68 Votes

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Lebanon's Parliament approved Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government with 68 votes for, 12 against, and two abstentions.
Hezbollah MPs exited before the vote, showing opposition without a formal ballot.
Amal Movement deputies supported Salam, saying the vote did not mirror their personal views.
Salam called for a state arms monopoly, Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, and reconstruction.
Speaker Nabih Berri stated the session evaluated government performance, not cabinet legitimacy.

History

Historical Context

The 2005 Lebanese parliamentary election, held on 2 February 2005 after the Cedar Revolution, reshaped the nation’s sectarian power balance. Future Movement leader Saad Hariri secured 36 of the 128 seats, while Hezbollah captured 14, and voter turnout reached 55 %. Today’s approval of Nawaf Salam’s cabinet, with 68 votes and Hezbollah MPs walking out, mirrors the 2005 contest where Hezbollah similarly opposed government formation. That 2005 stalemate prompted the 2006 Doha Agreement, establishing a national unity government and reinforcing the precedent of external pressure shaping Lebanese coalitions.

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Story summary

Lebanon's Parliament approved Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government with 68 votes for, 12 against, and two abstentions.
Hezbollah MPs exited before the vote, showing opposition without a formal ballot.
Amal Movement deputies supported Salam, saying the vote did not mirror their personal views.
Salam called for a state arms monopoly, Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, and reconstruction.
Speaker Nabih Berri stated the session evaluated government performance, not cabinet legitimacy.

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