Prime Minister of Lebanon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon |
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Logo of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Lebanese Republic
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| Style | His/Her Excellency |
| Member of | Council of Ministers |
| Residence | Grand Serail, Beirut |
| Nominator | Parliament |
| Appointer | President |
| Inaugural holder | Auguste Adib Pacha 31 May 1926 |
| Formation | Constitution of Lebanon 23 May 1926 |
| Deputy | Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon |
| Salary | £L212,844,000/US$ 3,547 annually |
| Website | Lebanese Government Website |
The Prime Minister of Lebanon is the main leader of the government and the head of the Council of Ministers in Lebanon. This important job is officially called the President of the Council of Ministers. The President of Lebanon chooses the Prime Minister. This choice needs to be approved by most members of the Parliament of Lebanon. By tradition, the person holding this office is always a Sunni Muslim.
The current Prime Minister is Nawaf Salam. President Joseph Aoun asked him to form a new government on January 13, 2025. This happened after he received 84 out of 128 votes from Parliament. A Prime Minister doesn't officially start until both they and the President sign a special paper. This paper officially forms the new government, as stated in Lebanon's constitution. On February 8, 2025, the new government was formed. Nawaf Salam then officially began his duties as Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister gets help from the Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon. As of February 8, 2025, Tarek Mitri holds this position.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Prime Minister's Job
The job of Prime Minister was created on May 23, 1926. This was when the constitution for the state of Greater Lebanon was first put into action. In the summer of 1943, an agreement called the National Pact was made. It decided that the Prime Minister's job would always be for a Sunni Muslim.
For many years, from 1926 until the end of the Lebanese Civil War, the constitution didn't say much about the Prime Minister's duties. Most of their power came from informal agreements, not from written rules. After the Civil War ended, the Ta'if Accord was signed. This agreement clearly wrote down all the Prime Minister's responsibilities in the Constitution.
How Lebanon's Prime Minister is Different from France's
The first constitution of Greater Lebanon in 1926 was a lot like the French constitution. However, the Prime Minister's job in Lebanon was much weaker than in France. In Lebanon, the President could fire the Prime Minister whenever they wanted. In France, the President appoints the Prime Minister, but only the Parliament can remove them. This happens through a "vote of no confidence," meaning Parliament no longer trusts them.
This difference meant that Lebanon's Prime Minister had to listen to the President much more. This changed after the Taif Agreement. Lebanon then became a "parliamentary republic." This means the Parliament has more power. Now, the President chooses the Prime Minister who has the most support from Parliament members. The Prime Minister must then create a government that Parliament trusts and the President agrees with. Once they have this trust, the Prime Minister can only be removed if Parliament no longer trusts them.
Important Moments in the Past
Twice in the past, a President appointed a Maronite Christian as Prime Minister. This happened when the President was leaving office. This went against the National Pact, which says the Prime Minister should be Sunni Muslim. The Presidents said they were doing this so the Prime Minister could take over the President's powers.
The first time was in 1952. President Bechara El Khoury appointed Fouad Chehab as Prime Minister just before he resigned. Chehab was Prime Minister for 13 days. Once Camille Chemoun became President, the Prime Minister's job went back to a Sunni Muslim, Khaled Chehab.
The second time was during the Lebanese Civil War. The outgoing President, Amine Gemayel, fired the Prime Minister, Selim Hoss. He then appointed the army general, Michel Aoun, as Prime Minister. This happened just 15 minutes before his own term ended. Hoss refused to be fired. This led to two governments at the same time: one mainly civilian and Muslim in West Beirut, and another mainly military and Christian in East Beirut.
What Does the Prime Minister Do?
The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the government. They are also the deputy head of the Supreme Defense Council.
Here are some of the Prime Minister's main responsibilities:
- They lead the talks to form the government with Parliament.
- They must sign all official orders that the President signs. The only exceptions are the order that appoints them or the one that says the government has resigned.
- They present the government's plans to the Chamber of Deputies (Parliament).
- They lead the meetings of the Council of Ministers. If the President attends, the President leads the meeting.
- If the President's job becomes empty for any reason, the Prime Minister takes over the President's duties. This means they keep the government running.
Important Roles
After the Ta'if Accord, the Constitution added a special introduction for the three main executive jobs: the President, the Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers. This introduction says:
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government. He represents it, speaks in its name, and is responsible for executing the public policy made by the Council of Ministers.
The Prime Minister also holds these important roles just because of their job:
- Vice President of the Supreme Defense Council
- President of the Council of Ministers
- Head of the government
Who Has Been Prime Minister?
Learn More
- President of Lebanon
- Legislative Speaker of Lebanon
