Salam Appointed Prime Minister-Designate with 84 Votes Following Afternoon Shift in Bloc Positions /  The Duo Refrains from Naming a Candidate, Raising Questions of Equitable Mandate Formation and Raad Hints at Boycott

 January 14, 2025

The political editor wrote

The nature and scope of communications involving Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, U.S. President Joe Biden, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in exchanging congratulations on progress in the Gaza negotiations strongly suggests that the agreement is now finalised. Sources monitoring the negotiations confirmed that the announcement is expected today, following the resolution of all outstanding issues. Both parties have received the finalised lists of prisoners designated for release and conveyed their approval to mediators.

According to the same sources, the resistance successfully navigated the negotiations to secure a clear and explicit commitment to a complete withdrawal of occupying forces from Gaza and an end to the war – not merely a temporary ceasefire. While the resistance displayed flexibility in scheduling the withdrawal and timing the war’s conclusion, it consistently maintained control over the final step. A number of prisoners will remain in custody until the agreement is fully implemented, serving as a guarantee for the occupying forces’ compliance.

On the Lebanese front, binding parliamentary consultations to designate a prime minister concluded with a surprising outcome: Judge Nawaf Salam, a member of the International Court of Justice, was nominated with 84 votes. This followed an unexpected shift in voting patterns by MPs and blocs around noon yesterday, seemingly driven by an intense and swift intervention that descended upon them like a revelation.

Parliamentary sources noted that the second phase of consultations, which began at 2 PM local time (7 AM Washington, D.C. time), saw Salam secure votes equivalent to those previously cast for President Joseph Aoun in the first round, combined with those of the Free Patriotic Movement (84 = 71 + 13). Particularly striking was the reversal of positions by the Democratic Gathering and National Moderation blocs, which had previously supported the incumbent Prime Minister Najib Mikati. These shifts were justified without citing new developments, instead claiming a newfound appreciation for Judge Salam’s qualifications.

The sudden pivot raised concerns within the Amal-Hezbollah duo, which had been party to an agreement with the president and international mediators from Saudi Arabia, France, and the U.S. The agreement centered on U.N. Resolution 1701, reconstruction efforts, and the Taif Accord, with the understanding that these commitments would be implemented by a government led by Mikati.

Now, the duo fears that the abrupt reversal on Mikati’s nomination might serve as a pretext to abandon the broader agreement. Key questions arise: How will the prime minister-designate proceed, knowing his appointment lacks any Shiite parliamentary backing and that government formation could similarly ignore the blocs holding exclusive Shiite representation? Would this lead to a confidence vote devoid of Shiite support, undermining the principle of equitable representation?

Equally critical is the president’s role: Will he approve a government that fails to embody this deep-rooted concept of national consensus, or will he resort to superficial interpretations of equitable representation to justify launching a fractured, unbalanced administration at the very start of his term? Such a move would mark the collapse of a prior agreement in which he was a key party, turning the opening chapter of his presidency into a scene of unjustifiable national discord.

Despite their professed admiration for the inaugural address, those behind this sudden shift seem unperturbed about tarnishing the cooperative spirit of the president’s first day in office with deception and scheming, staining what should have been a unifying moment with mistrust and manipulation.