Lebanese parliament backs new government in historic vote

'Armed resistance' term removed as statement vows to establish a state monopoly on weapons

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and members of the new Lebanese government attend a plenary session for a vote of confidence at the parliament building in Beirut. Reuters

Lebanon's new government secured a vote of confidence from the country's parliament on Wednesday, supporting a ministerial statement which scrapped the term “armed resistance” while vowing to establish a state monopoly on arms – a major break from past policies.

After Prime Minister Nawaf Salam responded to statements of MPs, a vote was held, with the government receiving 95 votes of confidence, 12 votes of no confidence and four abstentions.

The statement, presented by the Prime Minister, pledged to extend “state sovereignty across all its territories exclusively with its own forces”.

It also committed to deploying the army “in internationally recognised Lebanese border areas” and emphasised the need to implement a commitment by President Joseph Aoun on “the state’s duty to monopolise the bearing of weapons” and “deciding on war and peace”.

The cabinet secured the absolute majority required, breaking two years of political deadlock and allowing the new administration to begin passing legislation and making major appointments to the judiciary, security forces and central bank.

The statement was seen as an unprecedented political setback for Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia and influential Lebanese political party, which has been significantly weakened after months of fighting with Israel, including two months of full-scale war, which ended in November. The conflict has left the group in tatters, decimating most of its top leadership and arsenal.

Hezbollah is the only armed group that has not disarmed since the end of Lebanon’s civil war. The issue has deeply polarised the country’s political scene.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc said that it supported Lebanon's new government. “We are keen on co-operating to the greatest extent to preserve national sovereignty and its stability and achieve reforms and take the state forward,” Mohammed Raad, the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said ahead of the two-day parliamentary session that began on Tuesday.

Hezbollah’s weakening allowed for the election of Mr Aoun, seen as the US-backed candidate, after more than two years of political deadlock, as well as the formation of a government led by Mr Salam, who Hezbollah initially opposed.

This new leadership has been widely viewed as a political blow to the Iran-backed group, which has long played a pivotal role in Lebanese politics, and without whose approval no major political decision could be made.

The ministerial statement also vowed to adopt a “foreign policy that works to make Lebanon neutral from axis conflicts” and ensure “Lebanon is not used as a platform for attacking” Arab and friendly countries.

Hezbollah is part of the so-called Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance”, an alliance that includes Yemen's Houthis, Hamas in Gaza and Shiite militia groups in Iraq, committed to fight the influence of Israel and the US.

The group also insisted on the government’s commitment to liberating Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation. Israel has maintained control over five key points in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreement calling for a full withdrawal from territories occupied after its ground invasion in October.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Mr Salam on the government formation.

"The crown prince wished the Lebanese prime minister success and the brotherly Lebanese people further progress and prosperity," the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.