BREAKING NEWS

Lebanon's new government wins confidence vote in parliament

Lebanon's new government won a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, following a speech by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam promising to push for economic and financial reforms and to start negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

Salam's government won the backing of 95 lawmakers in the 128-seat chamber.

On Tuesday, the Iran-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah had given its backing to the government in a speech delivered by senior Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammed Raad.

Lebanon's political landscape has been turned on its head since Hezbollah, long a dominant player in Lebanese politics, was badly pummeled in last year's war with Israel.

Reflecting that shift, the new government's policy statement did not include language used in previous years that was seen as legitimizing a role for Hezbollah in defending Lebanon.