Lebanese Government Faces Daunting Task to Fill Vacant Positions
The Lebanese government is facing a significant challenge in administrative reform, particularly in filling high-level vacancies in ministries and public institutions.
Naming officials to category one positions requires broad political consensus, as these appointments must be approved by two-thirds of the government's members. This means that upcoming cabinet meetings are expected to witness intense political negotiations over the proposed candidates.
Lebanese citizens hope that Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government will adopt a merit-based approach to appointments, moving away from sectarian quotas and political favoritism. There is also a push to restore the role of the Civil Service Board, which would review candidates' qualifications and propose three nominees for each vacant position, allowing the cabinet to select one and issue an official decree.
Mohammed Shamseddine, researcher at Beirut-based Information International, said that there are currently 47 vacant category one positions, with a significant number allocated to the Maronite community, including the commander of the Lebanese Army, the governor of the Central Bank, and director generals of key ministries such as Finance, Education, and Energy.
He added that Sunni-designated positions include the director general of the Internal Security Forces, the president of the Judicial Inspection Authority, and key roles in telecommunications, civil aviation, and tourism.
The Shiite community has seven vacant senior positions, including director general of General Security and the Financial Prosecutor. The Druze, Greek Orthodox, and Greek Catholic communities also have several unfilled roles, such as the director general of the Ministry of Health, the government commissioner to the Central Bank, and the chairman of the Lebanese state television, Tele Liban. The Armenian Catholic community has one vacant senior post, the director general of Central Statistics.
According to Shamseddine, beyond Category One, the government must also address a growing number of vacancies in Category Two and Three positions, which are crucial for the daily operations of public administration. There are currently around 270 vacant posts out of a total of 600 in these categories. Diplomatic and consular positions are also a priority, with 69 Lebanese embassies lacking ambassadors, including those in major capitals such as Washington, Paris, London, Moscow, and Beijing.
Judicial appointments are an equally pressing issue, given that Lebanon's judiciary has been nearly paralyzed due to vacancies in key positions. The Supreme Judicial Council has been nonfunctional since September 2024, an unprecedented situation in the country's history. The appointment of a new Financial Prosecutor, the president of the Judicial Inspection Authority, and members of the Judicial Council is seen as essential to restoring the judiciary's effectiveness. Once the Supreme Judicial Council is reconstituted, it is expected to implement long-delayed judicial appointments.
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