Lebanese PM Salam: Any minister wishing to run in the elections must resign from government

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he has held a series of key meetings with international partners, including the U.N. refugee agency, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the president of the World Bank Group, as part of Lebanon’s participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Salam said he was scheduled to meet later with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, stressing that his message during Middle East-focused sessions was clear. 

“Lebanon is gradually and steadily regaining the trust of the international community and its partners,” he said.

In an interview with Bloomberg from Davos, Salam outlined the foundations of his government’s policy, saying it rests on two main pillars. The first, he said, is rebuilding state institutions through reforms, starting with but not limited to financial reforms. He noted that the government has passed a key law to strengthen the judiciary and adopted a new mechanism for appointing senior public officials. For the first time in years, regulatory authorities have also been appointed in vital sectors, including electricity, telecommunications, and aviation.

The second pillar, Salam said, is restoring the state’s monopoly over weapons. He told participants that, for the first time since 1969, the Lebanese state now has full operational control over the area south of the Litani River.

Addressing the issue of bank deposits, Salam said the government is confident it can return up to $100,000 to all depositors over four years. He cited existing reserves at the central bank and liquidity at commercial banks, adding that the government is looking beyond the current situation toward the next four years. He said Lebanon is confident it can meet these obligations and even achieve a surplus as economic growth resumes.

On the upcoming parliamentary elections, Salam reiterated that his government will oversee the electoral process. To ensure neutrality, he said he will not run in the elections, and any minister wishing to do so must resign from the government. He stressed that strengthening government neutrality is essential and that elections should be held on time and with the highest possible standards of impartiality.