Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam began non-binding parliamentary consultations on Wednesday to form his government, in discussions pivotal to the country's way forward. The talks are a preliminary step towards the establishment of an administration capable of addressing the challenges facing Lebanon,

The appointment of Nawaf Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as prime minister of Lebanon has many Lebanese feeling optimistic. His success in securing enough votes in parliament on Monday caps off a rapid period of political change after Joseph Aoun was elected president last week,