Cabinet of Tammam Salam

The formation of a new government led by Tammam Salam followed two weeks of negotiations after the resignation of Najib Mikati's government. Salam's candidacy was backed by the March 14 Alliance, the Progressive Socialist Party, Najib Mikati and the Amal Movement.

The government will be the sixth one designated to oversee elections since Lebanon's independence in 1943 when the 2014 general election takes place.[1] A national unity government was announced on 15 February 2014. Despite his nomination by 124 of 128 MPs, Salam then failed to form a consensus government amidst political demands. Salam finally announced his proposed cabinet that included members from the March 8 and March 14 alliances, as well as independents on 15 February 2014.

Background

The Mikati government fell after Najib Mikati's resignation on 22 March 2013 over his attempt to form a committee to oversee the next general election in opposition to Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Hezbollah and Amal Movement ministers, as well as an attempt to extend the term of Major General Ashraf Rifi, the head of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), who was scheduled to retire in April,[2] due to a mandatory age limit.[3]

Nomination of Tammam Salam

Tammam Salam's emergence as the consensus candidate followed discussion in Saudi Arabia and also had the backing of March 14, Mikati and Amal. PSP leader Walid Jumblatt also supported him saying: "Salam is the voice of moderation... He’s never said a bad word against the resistance." Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora also said that he was a "unanimous" choice because of his "national and moral engagement. We wish Mr. Salam good luck in leading the country through the present circumstances." Salam then said: "It’s a great national responsibility...I thank my brothers in the March 14 coalition."[4] On 6 April, he got 124 of the 128 parliamentary votes to become prime minister and was consequently tasked by President Michel Suleiman to form a government.

Salam reacted in saying: "There is a need to bring Lebanon out of its state of division and political fragmentation, as reflected on the security situation, and to ward off the risks brought by the tragic situation in the neighbouring [Syria] and by regional tensions."[5] He also said that he intends to form a national unity government instead of a partisan one saying that "the consensus around my nomination is the biggest proof of the intention of political forces to save the country."[6] Future Movement leader Saad Hariri had said that he was willing to share power with Hezbollah if the cabinet formation deadlock was ended while Hezbollah abandoned a demand that it and its allies be given veto power in the new cabinet.[7]

Government formation

On 15 February 2014, Salam announced a national unity government of 24 ministers, including March 8 and March 14 alliances,[8] and independents. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon[9] and the European Union's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton welcomed the formation of the government.[10] While Salam said the government would "strengthen national security and stand against all kinds of terrorism" and face the social issue of about a million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, it would also lead to the 2014 Lebanese presidential election.[7]

Composition

Lebanese government of April 2013
Portfolio (Ministry)[11][12]MinisterPolitical affiliationReligious Sect
Independents (8/24)
President Michel Sleiman's Share (3/24)
Deputy Prime Minister
and Defence
Samir Mouqbel  IndependentGreek Orthodox
DisplacedAlice Shabtini  IndependentMaronite
Youth and SportsAbdel Mouttaleb Hennaoui  IndependentShia
Prime Minister Tammam Salam's Share (3/24)
Prime MinisterTammam Salam  IndependentSunni
EnvironmentMohamed Machnouk  IndependentSunni
Social AffairsRashid Derbass  IndependentSunni
National Struggle Front (2/24)
Public HealthWael Abou Faour  Progressive Socialist PartyDruze
AgricultureAkram Chehayeb  Progressive Socialist PartyDruze
March 8 Alliance (8/24)
Change and Reform bloc (4/24)
Foreign and ExpatriatesGebran Bassil  Free Patriotic MovementMaronite
Education and Higher LearningElias Bou Saab  Free Patriotic MovementGreek Orthodox
CultureRaymond Araiji  Marada MovementMaronite
Energy and WaterArthur Nazarian  TashnagArmenian
Amal Movement (2/24)
FinanceAli Hassan Khalil  Amal MovementShia
Public Works and TransportationGhazi Zaiter  Amal MovementShia
Loyalty to the Resistance bloc (2/24)
IndustryHussein Hajj Hassan  HezbollahShia
Minister of State for Parliamentary AffairsMuhammad Fneish  HezbollahShia
March 14 Alliance (8/24)
Future Movement (3/24)
Interior and MunicipalitiesNouhad Machnouk  Future MovementSunni
Minister of State for Administrative DevelopmentNabil de Freige  Future MovementRoman Catholic
Minister of JusticeAshraf Rifi  IndependentSunni
Kataeb Party (3/24)
LabourSejaan Kazzi  Kataeb PartyMaronite
Economy and TradeAlain Hakim  Kataeb PartyGreek Catholic
InformationRamzi Jreij  IndependentGreek Orthodox
Others (2/24)
TourismMichel Pharaon  IndependentGreek Catholic
TelecommunicationsBoutros Harb  IndependentMaronite

Resignation

On 18 December 2016, the Ministry of Information announced the dissolution of the Cabinet, and the formation of a new Cabinet under Saad Hariri.[13]


Preceded by
Lebanese government of June 2011
List of Lebanese governments Succeeded by
Lebanese government of December 2016

References

  1. Nassif, Nicolas (9 April 2013). "Tammam Salam Interview: I Am Your Savior, Maybe". Al Akhbar. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  2. "Mikati's Resignation Shakes Up". Al Monitor. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  3. "Lebanese president accepts premier's resignation". The Wenatchee World. Associated Press. 23 March 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  4. "Tammam Salam builds consensus to be Lebanon's new prime minister". Al Arabiya. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  5. "Lebanon picks Salam as new prime minister". Al Jazeera. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  6. Mourtada, Hania (6 April 2013). "Sunni Leader Is Named Prime Minister in Lebanon". The New York Times. Beirut. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  7. "Lebanon's PM forms 'unity cabinet'". The Irish Independent.
  8. "Lebanese PM unveils national unity cabinet". Al Jazeera. 15 February 2014.
  9. "Security Council, Ban welcome formation of new Government in Lebanon". United Nations.
  10. "Ashton congratulate Tammam Salam on the formation of the new government". iloubnan.info.
  11. http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.574385
  12. http://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/en/show-news/21479/Names-of-ministers-announced-in-Cabinet-of-Tammam-Salam
  13. http://nna-leb.gov.lb/en/show-news/72621/
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