You can watch the full 90+ minute interview above. I also cut a few clips that resonated with me the most—whether it’s his immediate promise to do everything possible to regain the trust of young Lebanese, most of whom want to leave Lebanon if they haven’t already (or were forced to leave, like me).

He also spoke about missed opportunities, which really resonated with me, as I’ve written about that for years—using almost the same language as the person who is now our PM. You can read my 2020 article here: The 6 Disappointments That Led to October 17.

And of course, the elephant in the room—Hezbollah, the implementation of the ceasefire deal, and UNSCR 1701. Questions like: Is it only south of the Litani River? (In other words, does that mean Hezbollah can keep its weapons to fight and invade other parts of Lebanon?) He was crystal clear: full implementation, across every last part of Lebanon—from the Kabir River in Akkar to Naqoura on the border with Palestine & Israel.

Overall, it was incredibly refreshing to hear—especially considering the absolute garbage leaders who came before him, like Michel Aoun, Najib Mikati, and Hassan Diab. Michel Aoun hysterically yelled and insulted the Lebanese people and told young ones to emigrate if they “didn’t like him.” Najib Mikati shed crocodile tears about how he couldn’t dine in fancy restaurants because citizens would confront him over his blatant and shameless corruption. Absurd stuff.

Watching this interview gave me a sense of relief. I also felt that the judge in him really came through, especially when discussing precedents from the Fouad Chehab era—such as the formation of an extra-parliamentary cabinet, where ministers are neither MPs nor future candidates in an election they are overseeing. He used this to explain that while his methodolgy of selecting ministers isn’t explicitly outlined in the constitution or the Taif Agreement, it has precedent in what is arguably the most successful presidency in Lebanon’s history.

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Nawaf Salam's First Interview as Prime Minister of Lebanon + Clips

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